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4 



PATTY’S MOTOR CAR 


BY THE SAME AUTHOR 


Patty Series 

Patty Fairfield 
Patty at Home 
Patty in the City 
Patty’s Summer Days 
Patty in Paris 
Patty’s Friends 
Patty’s Pleasure Trip 
Patty’s Success 
Patty’s Motor Car 

Marjorie Series 

Marjorie’s Vacation 
Marjorie’s Busy Days 
Marjorie’s New Friend 
Marjorie in Command 
Marjorie’s Maytime 
































































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Patty, dear child, what is it?” exclaimed Mr. 

Fairfield {page 277) 


Patty’s Motor 
Car 

BY 

CAROLYN WELLS 

Author of 

The Patty Books, The Marjorie Books, etc. 


Illustrations by Mayo Bunker 



NEW YORK 

DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY 

1911 




Copyright, 1911 
By Dodd, Mead and Company 
Published, September, 19 11 


THE QUINN A BODEN CO. PRE89 
RAHWAY, N. J. 


©C1.A297122^ 


DEDICATED 
WITH LOVE 
T O 

KATHARINE CARLETON 




CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I Afternoon Tea ... 9 

II An Able Helper ... 24 

III A Lecture 40 

IV The Hundredth Question . 52 

V A Summer Home ... 66 

VI The Award . . . .81 

VII A Neighbour .... 97 

VIII Swift Camilla . . . .110 

IX Mona at Home . . .124 

X The Courtesy of the Road . 137 
XI The First Arrivals . -152 

XII A Moonlight Ride . . .165 

XIII Patty’s Ingenuity . . .177 

XIV A Birthday Breakfast . .190 

XV A Morning Swim . . . 203 

XVI A Change of Partners . .216 

XVII A Dinner and a Dance . .229 

XVIII Mona Interferes . . . 242 

XIX Philip’s Picnic. . . .254 

XX A Narrow Escape . . .267 


\ 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


“ Patty, dear child, what is 
IT?” EXCLAIMED Mr. FAIR- 
field ..... Frontispiece 
“ It’s no use ! I can’t do 

it” Facing page 60 

“That would be the nicest 

THING YOU COULD DO FOR 

ME” “ “ 146 

“ I can’t tell you how sorry I 

AM THAT I GOT YOU INTO THIS 

SCRAPE” . . . . “ “ 210 


CHAPTER I 


AFTERNOON TEA 

P ATTY was curled up in her favourite big 
easy-chair in her own study. 

Though called a study, because it had 
been used as such during her schooldays, the 
pretty room was really more like a boudoir. 
Her desk was still there, but was now filled with 
programmes, friendly letters, and social cor- 
respondence instead of school themes or prob- 
lems. The general colouring of the room was 
green, but the sash curtains of thin yellow silk, 
and the heap of yellow sofa cushions, did much 
to lighten the effect, and gave the room a sun- 
shiny air, even on a dull day. The couch, and 
the two big, soft, cuddly chairs were upholstered 
in yellow-flowered chintz, and on the pale green 
walls hung Patty’s favourite pictures, and many 
curios or souvenirs of her year spent abroad. 

It was the first of March, so the room was 
brightened both by a big bowlful of yellow 
daffodils and a blazing wood fire. The two 
things Patty liked best in life were warmth and 

[ 9 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

colour, and so to-day she was sitting near the 
fire, with the splendid yellow glory of the daf- 
fodils in full view. 

But she was not looking at them, for she 
was poring over a book. When Patty read 
she usually pored, for she was eager and 
enthusiastic over any story in which she was 
interested. 

But to-day, she was not reading a story. She 
pored intently, and then, throwing back her 
head, she would stare blankly at the ceiling, 
thinking hard. 

Then, perhaps, she would fly to her bookcase, 
tumble out two or three books, swiftly turn their 
pages, and then back to her big chair and the 
original book. 

It was a very small book, with a paper cover, 
but it seemed to be most engrossing. 

Two or three hours passed, and still Patty 
pored over the little book, rarely turning a page. 
Absent-mindedly, she rubbed her head until the 
hairpins fell out, and her golden hair fell 
around her shoulders, as bright a glory as the 
daffodils. Vacantly she stared into the fire or 
out of the window, and at last she flung her 
little book across the room and exclaimed aloud : 

“ It’s no use ! I can’t do it ! ” 

[ 10] 


Afternoon Tea 

And then Nan, her pretty stepmother, appeared 
at the open door. 

“ Patty! ” she cried; “ in a kimono! And it’s 
nearly four o’clock! Don’t you know it’s my 
day? ” 

“ Nan,” said Patty, with an anxious look in 
her eyes, “ what is it, of which the poor have 
two and the rich have none?” 

“Gracious, Patty! What a question! I 
don’t know, Pm sure. Are you going in for 
more philanthropy? Because, if so, do wait 
for a more convenient season.” 

“No; it isn’t philanthropy. It’s I say, 

Nan, how could a headless man write a letter? ” 

“ He couldn’t.” 

“ And does a bookworm eat straight through 
a book, or zigzag? ” 

“ I don’t know. I’ve heard the Bookworm is 
only a fabled animal, like a griffin. Or, no; I 
think it’s an extinct species, like the Dodo.” 

“ Oh, Nan! You are so deliciously ignorant.” 

“ No more so than you, or why do you ask 
me these things? Now, Patty, stop this non- 
sense, and get dressed. What are you doing, 
anyway? ” 

“Oh, Nan, the loveliest scheme ever! Let 
me tell you about it.” 

[ii] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ No, not now. I must go down to the draw- 
ing-room. And you must follow just as soon 
as you can. Do you hear? ” 

“ Yes, I hear, you old Loveliness. But just 
tell me when London ” 

But Nan had run away from the fire of ques- 
tions, and Patty drew herself up out of her 
chair, stretched and yawned like a sleepy kit- 
ten, and then proceeded to make her toilette 
with expedition and despatch. 

But as she sat in front of her dressing table, 
piling her gold hair into a soft crown above her 
pretty face, she frowned at her own reflection. 

“ You’re a stupid idiot,” she informed herself. 
“You don’t know anything! And you haven’t 
an ounce of brains! Now, what is it of which 
the poor have two, the rich have none, school- 
boys have several, and you have one. Well, I 
can’t think of a thing but mumps or measles; 
and, of course, they’re not the answer, and you 
couldn’t have one measle, anyhow.” 

As she dressed, Patty took hasty glances in 
the little book, and finally she left her room 
and walked slowly downstairs, murmuring, 
“ Divide nine into two equal parts, which, 
added together, make ten.” 

But when she reached the drawing-room door, 

[ 12 ] 


Afternoon Tea 

all the puzzling problems flew out of her mind, 
and she went in gracefully to greet Nan’s 
guests. 

As Patty was not yet out in society, she did 
not have her name on the card with her step- 
mother’s, but she always assisted Nan in re- 
ceiving, and informally asked a number of her 
own friends to call, too. 

This was Nan’s last reception day for the sea- 
son, so it was a little more elaborate than oth- 
ers had been. 

Patty wore an embroidered white chiffon, 
which delicate material clouded bows and bands 
of pale-blue satin. It was a lovely frock, and 
just suited Patty’s blonde fairness. She went 
around among her mother’s friends, greeting 
them with pretty courtesy, and chatting easily 
with them. But, after a time, her own young 
friends came, and, with the two Farringtons 
and Kenneth Harper, Patty went to the library, 
where they could be by themselves. 

Soon, Mr. Hepworth came, bringing Chris- 
tine Farley. 

Christine had been in New York only a few 
weeks, but already she had lost much of her 
painful shyness, and, though still easily em- 
barrassed by the presence of strangers, she 
[ 13 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

usually managed to preserve her poise and 
self-control. 

She greeted Patty with shining eyes, for the 
Southern girl was warmly affectionate, and 
adored Patty. 

“ And are you all settled, now, Christine, and 
ready to receive callers?” Patty asked. 

“ Yes, I am. I have a lovely room ; not large, 
but sunny and pleasant, and I will gladly wel- 
come you there at any time. And Mr. and Mrs. 
Bosworth are such kind people. Oh, I shall be 
very happy there.” 

“ And the work? ” asked Mr. Hepworth. 
“ How does that come on? ” 

“ It’s all right,” said Christine, soberly, but 
nodding her head with satisfaction. 

Though shy in society, she was most practical 
and unembarrassed about her art study. Not 
over-conceited, but perfectly aware of the ex- 
tent of her own talent, and also of her own 
ignorance. And she had a calm determination 
to improve the one and conquer the other. 

Christine was pretty, in her soft Southern way. 
She was small, and dainty in all her effects. Her 
oval face was serious, almost sad in its expres- 
sion, but, if she were interested in a subject, it 
would light up into sudden beauty. 

[ 14 ] 


Afternoon Tea 


Her clothes betokened her artistic tastes, and 
she never wore dresses of the fashionable type, 
but soft, clinging gowns in dull, pastel colours. 
A bit of old embroidery or unusual jewelry 
added an effective touch, and Christine always 
looked well dressed, though her clothes cost 
far less than Patty’s. The two girls were ab- 
solutely unlike, and yet they were fast becom- 
ing great friends. But Christine possessed al- 
most no sense of humour, and Patty feared she 
could never be really chummy with any one who 
lacked that. 

Elise was not very fond of Christine, for she 
didn’t understand her at all, and secretly 
thought her rather stupid. But the boys, Roger 
and Kenneth, liked the Southern maiden, with 
her soft, pretty accent, and, of course, Mr. 
Hepworth was her friend. 

So the whole group was fairly congenial, and 
they formed a pleasant little circle in the li- 
brary, to drink their tea. 

“ Sorry Pm late,” said a cheery voice, and 
Philip Van Reypen joined them. 

“Oh! how do you do?” cried Patty, jump- 
ing up to greet him. “ Miss Farley, may I 
present Mr. Van Reypen? I think the rest 
are all acquainted.” 


[ 15 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

There were general greetings all round, and 
then Philip took his place with the rest. 

“ My aunt is here,” he said, to Patty. “ A 
little later, perhaps, she wan'ts to meet Miss 
Farley.” 

“ So she shall,” said Patty, remembering Miss 
Van Reypen’s offer to help Christine in some 
way. “Will you have tea?” 

“ Will I have tea? ” echoed Philip. “ That’s 
exactly what Pm here for. Please, yes.” 

“ Then here you are,” said Patty, hand- 
ing him a cup; “and, incidentally, do you 
know how a bookworm goes through a 
book? ” 

“ Ugh ! what an unpleasant subject,” said Elise, 
with a shrug of her shoulders. “ Patty, do 
talk of something else.” 

“ I can’t,” said Patty, solemnly; “ I must know 
about the manners and customs of a well-con- 
ducted bookworm.” 

“ Do you mean a real bookworm, or a studi- 
ous person?” asked Mr. Hepworth, who often 
took Patty’s questions very seriously. 

“ I mean the — the entomological sort,” said 
Patty, “ and Pm in dead earnest. Who knows 
anything about the bookworms that really de- 
stroy books? ” 

[16] 


Afternoon Tea 

“ I do,” announced Kenneth, “ but nothing 
would induce me to tell. Theirs is a secret his- 
tory, and not to be made known to a curious 
world.” 

“Pooh!” said Roger, “that’s all bluff. 
Patty, he doesn’t really know anything about 
the beasts. Now, I do. A bookworm is a 
grub.” 

“No,” said Philip, “the book is the book- 
worm’s grub. And pretty dry fodder he must 
often find it.” 

“ I know what you’re going to do, Patty,” 
said Kenneth, in an aggrieved voice ; “ you’re 
going to set up a pair of pet bookworms in 
place of Darby and Juliet. Please understand 
that I am distinctly offended, and I prophesy 
that your new pets won’t be half as interesting 
as the goldfish.” 

“Wrong again, Ken,” returned Patty; “no 
new pets could ever be so dear to my heart as 
those sweet, lovely goldfish. But, if you peo- 
ple don’t tell me about bookworms, I’ll have 
to look in the Encyclopaedia; and, if there’s any- 
thing I do hate, it’s that. Christine, aren’t you 
up on bookworms ? ” 

“ No,” said Christine, in a shy whisper. She 
couldn’t yet become accustomed to the quick 
[ 17 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

repartee and merry nonsense of these North- 
ern young people. 

“ I used to have a pet bookworm,” began 
Roger, “ but he got into a cook-book and died 
of dyspepsia.” 

“Tell us what it’s all about, Patty?” said 
Mr. Hepworth, seeing she was really serious in 
her questioning. 

“ Why, it’s a puzzle, — a sort of conundrum. 
This is it. Suppose a history in three volumes 
is placed upon a bookshelf. Suppose each vol- 
ume contains just one hundred pages. And 
suppose a bookworm, starting at page one of 
volume one, bores right straight through the 
books, covers and all, to the last page of volume 
three. How many leaves does he go through, 
not counting fly-leaves, or covers ? ” 

“ Patty, I’m surprised at you,” said Roger. 
“ That’s too easy. He goes through the three 
hundred pages, of course.” 

“ It does seem so,” said Patty, with a per- 
plexed look, “ but, as you say, that’s too 
easy. There must be a catch or a quibble 
somewhere.” 

“ Well,” said Elise, “ I never could do a puz- 
zle. I don’t know why a hen goes across the 
road, or when is a door not a door. But you’re 


Afternoon Tea 

a born puzzlist, Patty, and, if you can’t guess 
it, nobody can.” 

“ Elise, you’re a sweet thing, and most com- 
plimentary. But I know you have no talent 
for puzzles, so, my dear child, I’m not asking 
you. But, you men of brains and intellect, 
can’t you help me out? I’m sure there’s an- 
other answer, but I can’t think what it would 
be.” 

“ Why, Patty,” said Mr. Hepworth, thought- 
fully, “ I think Roger is right. If the book- 
worm goes through all three volumes, he must 
go through three hundred pages, mustn’t he?” 

“No, indeed!” cried Christine, her shyness 
forgotten, and her eyes shining as she con- 
structed the picture of the books in her mind’s 
eye. “ Wait a minute; yes, I’m sure I’m right! 
He only goes through one hundred pages. 
He goes only through the second volume, 
you see ! ” 

Elise looked at Christine a little disdainfully. 

“ You don’t seem to have heard the condi- 
tions,” she said. “ The bookworm begins at 
the first page of the first volume and goes 
through to the end of the last one.” 

“ Yes, I heard that,” said Christine, flushing 
at Elise’s tone, which was distinctly supercilious. 
[ 19 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ But, don’t you see, when the books are set 
up on a shelf, in the usual manner, the first page 
of the first volume is on the right, just up 
against the last page of the second volume.” 

“ Nonsense ! ” cried Elise. 

“ But it is so, Miss Farley! ” exclaimed Philip 
Van Reypen. “ You’ve struck it ! Look, 
people ! ” 

He turned to a bookcase, and indicated three 
volumes of a set of books. 

“ Now, see, the first page of volume one is 
right against the last page of volume two. 
So the first page of volume two is up against 
the last page of volume three. Now, what 
does Mr. Bookworm do? He starts here, at 
the first page of volume one. He doesn’t go 
backward, so he doesn’t go through volume 
one at all ! He goes through volume two, and, 
as soon as he strikes volume three, he strikes 
it at the last page, and his task is done, his 
journey is over. He has fulfilled the conditions 
of the original question. See?” 

They did see, after awhile, but it was only the 
ocular demonstration that proved it, for the 
facts were hard to describe in words. 

Elise flatly refused to see it, saying it made 
her head ache to try to understand it. 

[ 20 ] 


Afternoon Tea 


“ But it was very clever of Miss Farley to 
reason it out so soon,” said Philip. 

“Yes, wasn’t it?” agreed Patty. “I didn’t 
know you had a bent for puzzles, Christine.” 

“ I haven’t. But that doesn’t seem to me like 
a puzzle. I can’t do arithmetical problems, or 
guess charades at all. But this seems to me a 
picture of still life. I can see the insides of 
the books in my mind, and they are wrong end 
to, — that is, compared to the way we read them. 
You see, they really stand in the bookcase with 
the pages numbered backward.” 

“ Bravo, Christine ; so they do ! ” said Mr. Hep- 
worth. “ Patty, that’s the answer, but, I con- 
fess, I was ’way off myself.” 

“ So say we all of us,” chimed in Roger. u I 
can only see through it, part of the time, even 
now.” 

“ I think it a most clever catch question,” said 
Philip Van Reypen. “ Where did you find it, 
Miss Fairfield?” 

“In a little book of puzzles; I’m trying to 
guess them all.” 

“Let me help you, won’t you? I’m a shark 
on puzzles. I slipped up on this one, I admit; 
but I can do the ‘ transposed, I am a fish ’ kind, 
just lovely.” 


[ 21 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ Ah, but my bookful isn’t that kind. 
They’re all of a catchy or difficult sort.” 

“ Well, let me try to help, mayn’t I? ” Mr. 
Van Reypen’s voice was gay and wheedlesome, 
and Patty responded by saying, “Perhaps; 
some time. But now I must take Miss Farley 
in to see Mrs. Van Reypen.” 

These two were mutually pleased with each 
other, as Patty felt sure they would be. 

Mrs. Van Reypen assumed her kindest de- 
meanour, for she saw Christine was excessively 
shy. She talked pleasantly to her, drawing her 
out concerning her life work and her life plans, 
and ended by asking the girl to call on her 
some afternoon, soon. 

Then she went away, and Patty drew Chris- 
tine into a corner to congratulate her. 

“It’s fine!” she declared. “If Mrs. Van 
Reypen takes you up, she’ll do lovely things 
for you. She’ll have you at her house, and 
you’ll meet lovely people, and she’ll take you 
to the opera I Oh, Christine, do be nice to her.” 

“ Of course I shall. I liked her at once. She 
isn’t a bit patronising. But, Patty, your friend 
Elise is. I don’t know why, but she doesn’t like 
me. 

“ Nonsense, Christine, don’t you go around 
[ 22 ] 


Afternoon Tea 


with thinks like that under your pompadour! 
Elise is all right. She isn’t such a sunny bunny 
as I am, but she’s a lot wiser and better in 
many ways.” 

“ No, she isn’t! She’s selfish and jealous. But 
I’m going to be nice to her, and, perhaps, I 
can make her like me, after all.” 

“I should say you could! Everybody likes 
you, and anybody who doesn’t soon will ! ” 


[ 23 ] 


CHAPTER II 


AN ABLE HELPER 

N EARLY all the guests had left the 
Fairfield house, after Nan’s pleasant 
afternoon tea. Philip Van Reypen had 
escorted his aunt out to her carriage, and she 
had driven away, while the young man returned 
for a few moments’ further chat with his 
hostess. 

Though he and Nan had met but a few times, 
they had become rather chummy, which, how- 
ever, was not unusual for him, if he liked any- 
body. 

Young Van Reypen was of a gay and social 
nature, and made friends easily by his sheer 
good-humour. He admired Mrs. Fairfield very- 
much, but, even more, he admired Patty. Ever 
since he had met her unexpectedly on his aunt’s 
staircase, he had thought her the prettiest and 
sweetest girl he had ever seen. So he was mak- 
ing every endeavour to cultivate her acquaint- 
ance, and, being of rather astute observation, he 

[24] 


An Able Helper 

concluded it wise to make friends with the 
whole Fairfield family. 

So the big, handsome chap went back to the 
drawing-room, and dropped on a sofa beside 
Nan. 

“ It’s awfully cold out,” he observed, 
plaintively. 

“Is it?” returned his hostess, innocently. 

“ Yes; I hate to go out in the cold.” 

“ But you have to go, sooner or later.” 

“Yes; but it may be warmer later.” 

“ On the contrary, it will probably grow 
colder.” 

“Oh! do you think so? But, then again, it 
may not, and I’m quite willing to take the 
chance.” 

“ Mr. Van Reypen, I do believe you’re hint- 
ing for an invitation to stay here to dinner! ” 

“ Oh, Mrs. Fairfield, how clever you are ! 
How could you possibly guess that, now?” 

Nan laughed and hesitated. She liked the 
young man, but she wasn’t sure that Patty 
wanted him there. Patty was developing into 
a somewhat decided young person, and liked to 
make her own plans. And Nan well knew that 
Patty was the real magnet that drew Mr. Van 
Reypen so often to the house. 

[25] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“What do you think?” she said, as the girl 
came into the room; “this plain-spoken young 
man is giving me to understand that, if he were 
urged, he would dine here to-night.” 

“ Of course, it would require a great deal 
of most insistent urging,” put in Philip. 

“ Don’t let’s urge him,” said Patty, but the 
merry smile she flashed at the young man be- 
lied her words. 

“ If you smile like that, I’ll do the urging my- 
self,” he cried. “ Please, Mrs. Fairfield, do 
let me stay; I’ll be as good as gold.” 

“ What say you, Patty? ” asked Nan. 

“ He may stay,” rejoined Patty, “ if he’ll help 
me with my work on those puzzles.” 

“ Puzzles? Well, I just guess I will! I’ll do 
them all for you. Where’s your slate and 
pencil? ” 

“ Oh, not yet ! ” laughed Patty. “ We won’t 
do those until after dinner.” 

“ Why do you do them at all? ” asked Nan; 
“ and what are they, anyway? ” 

“I’ll tell you,” began Patty; “no, I won’t, 
either. At least, not now. It’s a grand proj- 
ect, — a really great scheme. And I’ll unfold 
it at dinner, then father can hear about it, too.” 

So, later, when the quartette were seated 

[26] 


An Able Helper 

around the dinner table, Patty announced that 
she would tell of her great project. 

“ You see,” she began, “ it’s a sort of adver- 
tisement for a big motor-car company.” 

“ Don’t try to float a motor-car company, 
Patty,” advised her father; “ it’s too big a proj- 
ect for a young girl.” 

“Pm not going to do that, Daddy Fairfield; 
but I begin to think that what I am going to 
do is almost as hard. You see, this big company 
has issued a book of a hundred puzzles. Now, 
whoever guesses all those puzzles correctly will 
get the prize. And, — the prize is a lovely elec- 
tric runabout. And I want it! ” 

“Hevings! hevings!” murmured Mr. Van 
Reypen. “She wants an Electric Runabout! 
Why, Infant, you’ll break your blessed neck! ” 

“Indeed, I won’t! I guess I’ve brains 
enough to run an electric car! If I guess 
those puzzles, that’ll prove it. They’re fear- 
fully hard ! Listen to this one. ‘ When did 
London begin with an L and end with an 
E?”’ 

“ That is hard,” said Nan. “ It must be some 
foreign name for London. But Londres won’t 
do.” 

“ No,” said Patty, “ I thought of that. I 

[* 7 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

expect it’s some old Anglo-Saxon or Hardi- 
canute name.” 

“ I expect it’s rubbish,” said her father. 
“Patty, don’t begin on these things. You’ll 
wear yourself out. I know how you hammer at 
anything, once you begin it, and you’ll be sit- 
ting up nights with these foolish questions un- 
til you’re really ill.” 

“ Oh, no, I won’t, father. And beside, Mr. 
Van Reypen is going to help me, lots.” 

“ Angel Child,” said Philip, looking at her 
with a patronising air, “ if all your questions 
are as easy as that one you just quoted, your 
task is already accomplished.” 

“Why, do you know the answer?” cried 
Patty. “Oh, tell it to me! I’ve puzzled so 
hard over it! ” 

“ It’s a quibble, of course, — a sort of catch, 
do you see ? And the answer is that London al- 
ways began with an L, and End always began 
with an E.” 

“ Oh,” said Patty, catching the point at once, 
“ I should have known that ! I pride myself 
on guessing those catch questions.” 

“ You were clever to guess it so quickly, Mr. 
Van Reypen,” said Mr. Fairfield; “ or have you 
heard it before? ” 


[28] 


An Able Helper 

“ Not exactly in that form, no. But so many 
quibbles are built like that.” 

“ They are,” agreed Patty; “ I ought to have 
known it. Well, I rather think there are some 
others you won’t guess so easily.” 

“How many have you done?” asked Nan. 

“ I’ve done about twenty-five out of the hun- 
dred. Some were dead easy, and some I had to 
work on like the mischief.” 

“ But, Patty,” began her father, “ what could 
you do with a motor car of your own? You 
don’t want it.” 

“ Indeed, I do ! Why, I’ll have perfectly ele- 
gant times scooting around by myself.” 

“ But you can’t go by yourself in the New 
York streets! I won’t allow it.” 

“ No, daddy dear, not here in the city, per- 
haps. But, if we go away for the summer to 
some nice country place, where there’s nothing 
in the road but cows, then I could run it alone. 
Or with some nice girl by my side.” 

“ Or with some nice boy by your side,” put 
in Philip. “ I’m an awfully nice boy, — they 
all say.” 

“ If you help me win it, I’ll give you a ride 
in it,” said Patty. “ But I haven’t won it yet.” 

“ No, and you won’t,” said her father. 

[29] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ Those contests are just planned for an ad- 
vertisement. The prize goes to the daughter of 
the chief director.” 

“Oh, Father Fairfield! What a mean thing 
to say! You don’t know that that’s so at all. 
Now, I believe in their honesty.” 

“ So do I,” said Nan. “ That isn’t like 
you, Fred, to express such an unfounded 
suspicion.” 

“ Well, perhaps I spoke too hastily. But still, 
Patty, I don’t think you want the thing. If you 
get it, I’ll sell it for you, and give you the 
money.” 

“No, sir-ee! I want it for itself alone. Oh, 
father, think what fun I’d have spinning around 
the country! Wouldn’t we, Nan?” 

“ Yes, indeed! I think it would be great fun. 
And they say those electrics are easy to man- 
age.” 

“Pooh! as easy as pie,” declared Patty. 
“ And, anyway, I ran a big touring car once, 
in France. A big gasoline one. An electric is 
nothing to that.” 

“What do you do to make it go?” asked 
her father, smiling. 

“ Oh, you just release the pawl that engages 
the clutch that holds the lever that sustains the 
[ 30 ] 


An Able Helper 

spring that lets go the brake — and there you 
are ! ” 

“Patty! where did you learn all that jar- 
gon ?” 

“ ’Tisn’t jargon; it’s sense. And now, my dear 
ones, will you all help me in my stupendous un- 
dertaking? For, when I engage in a contest, I 
want to win.” 

“Is it winning, if you have so much help?” 
teased her father. 

“ Yes, it is. The contest is to get the answers 
to those hundred questions and send them in. 
It doesn’t matter where you get your answers. 
You don’t want to enter the contest yourself, 
do you, Mr. Van Reypen? ” 

“ No, no, fair lady. I would but be thy hum- 
ble knight, and render such poor assistance as 
I may.” 

“All right, then; right after dinner, we’ll 
tackle that book of posers.” 

And so, for a couple of hours that evening, 
Patty and Philip Van Reypen exerted the full 
force of their intellects to unravel the knotty 
tangles propounded by the little paper-covered 
book. 

Mr. and Mrs. Fairfield tried for a time, but 
soon grew weary of the difficult game. 

[3i] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ Now, take this one,” said Patty to her col- 
league; “ ‘ How do you swallow a door? ’ ” 

“ Bolt it,” he replied, promptly. “ That’s an 
old one.” 

“ I ought to have guessed that myself,” said 
Patty, “ Pm so fond of slang.” 

“ ‘ Bolt it,’ isn’t exactly slang.” 

“ No, — I s’pose not. It’s just rude diction. 
Now, answer this. ‘ The poor have two, the 
rich have none. Schoolboys have several, you 
have one.’ ” 

“ Well, that’s one of a class of puzzles to 
which the answer is usually some letter of the 
alphabet.” 

“Oh, of course!” cried Patty, quickly; “it 
is O. There, I guessed that! Don’t you claim 
it!” 

“Of course, you did! Now, you know this 
one about the headless man, don’t you? It’s a 
classic.” 

“ No, I don’t. I can’t see any sense to it 
at all.” 

“ Read it.” 

So Patty read aloud: 

“ ‘ A headless man had a letter to write 

It was read by one who had lost his sight, 
[ 32 ] 


An Able Helper 

The dumb repeated it, word for word, 

And he who was deaf both listened and 
heard.’ ” 

“ And you don’t know that? ” asked Philip. 

“No; the conditions are impossible.” 

“ Oh, no, they’re not. They only seem so. 
The answer is, ‘ Nothing.’ You see the head- 
less man could write nothing, that’s naught, 
zero, or the letter O. Then the blind man, of 
course, could read nothing; the dumb man could 
repeat nothing; and the deaf man heard noth- 
ing.” 

“ Pooh ! I don’t think that’s very clever.” 

“ Not modernly clever, but it’s a good example 
of the old-time enigmas.” 

“ Gracious! What a lot you know about puz- 
zles. Have you always studied them.” 

“Yes; I loved them as a child, and I love 
them still. I think this whole book is great 
fun. But we’ll strike some really difficult ones 
yet. Here’s one I’ve never seen before. I’ll 
read it, and see if we, either of us, get a 
clue. 

“ ‘ What is it men and women all despise, 

Yet one and all alike as highly prize? 

[ 33 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

What kings possess not; yet full sure am I 

That for that luxury they often sigh. 

What never was for sale; yet any day 

The thrifty housewife will give some away. 

The farmer needs it for his growing corn. 

The tired husbandman delights to own. 

The very thing for any sick friend’s room. 

It coming, silent as Spring’s early bloom. 

A great, soft, yielding thing, that no one 
fears. 

A tiny thing, oft wet with mother’s tears. 

A thing so holy that we often wear 

It carefully hidden from the world’s cold 
stare.’ ” 

“ Well,” remarked Patty, complacently, as he 
finished reading, “ I’ve guessed that.” 

“You have! You bright little thing! I 
haven’t. Now, don’t tell me. Wait a 
minute! No, I can’t catch it. Tell me the 
answer.” 

“ Why, it’s An Old Shoe,” said Patty, laugh- 
ing. “ See how it all fits in.” 

“ Yes; it’s rattling clever. I like that one. 
Did you guess it as I read? ” 

“Yes; it seemed to dawn on me as you went 
along. They often do that, if I read them 

[ 34 ] 


An Able Helper 

slowly. Now, here’s another old one. I’ll read, 
and you guess. 

“ ‘ If it be true, as Welshmen say, 

Honour depends on pedigree, 

Then stand by — clear the way — 

And let me have fair play. 

For, though you boast thro’ ages dark 
Your pedigree from Noah’s ark, 

I, too, was with him there. 

For I was Adam, Adam I, 

And I was Eve, and Eve was I, 

In spite of wind and weather; 

But mark me — Adam was not I, 

Neither was Mrs. Adam I, 

Unless they were together. 

Suppose, then, Eve and Adam talking — 
With all my heart, but if they’re walking 
There ends all simile. 

For, tho’ I’ve tongue and often talk, 

And tho’ I’ve feet, yet when I walk 
There is an end of me ! 

Not such an end but I have breath, 
Therefore to such a kind of death 
I have but small objection. 

I may be Turk, I may be Jew, 

And tho’ a Christian, yet ’tis true 
I die by Resurrection ! ’ ” 

[35 1 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ Oh, I know that one ! It’s a very old one 
and it’s capital. The answer is A Bedfellow. 
See how clever it is; if I walk, it puts an end 
to me ! and I die by resurrection ! Oh, that’s a 
good one. But you see this one?” 

The golden head and the close-cropped dark 
one bent over the book together and read these 
lines : 

“ I sit stern as a rock when I’m raising the wind, 

But the storm once abated I’m gentle and 
kind ; 

I have kings at my feet who await but my nod 

To kneel down in the dust, on the ground I 
have trod. 

Though seen by the world, I am known but to 
few, 

The Gentile deserts me, I am pork to the 
Jew. 

I never have passed but one night in the dark, 

And that was like Noah alone in the ark. 

My weight is three pounds, my length is one 
mile, 

And when you have guessed me you’ll say with 
a smile, 

That my first and my last are the best of this 
isle.” 


[ 36 ] 


An Able Helper 

“ Now that’s an old favourite with all puzzle- 
lovers,” said Philip, as they finished reading it. 
“ And it has never been satisfactorily guessed. 
The usual answer is The Crown of England. 
But that doesn’t seem right to me. However, 
I know no other.” 

“ But how does the Crown of England fit all 
the requirements?” said Patty, looking over 
the text. 

“ Well, ‘ this isle ’ is supposed to mean Great 
Britain. And I believe it is a historic fact that 
the Crown spent one night in a big chest called 
the Ark.” 

“What was it there for?” 

“ Oh, between the two reigns of William IV. 
and Victoria, there was a delay of some hours 
in the night before she really received the 
crown, and it was then placed in the * Ark.’ 
The weight of the crown is about three pounds, 
and they say, if drawn out into gold wire, it 
would stretch a mile.” 

“ It would depend on the thickness of the 
wire,” commented Patty, sagely. 

“So it would. I don’t like the answer, any- 
way. But I can’t think of a better one. Let’s 
try some easy ones.” 

“ Take this mathematical one, then. ‘ Divide 

[ 37 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

nine into two equal parts that, added together, 
will make ten.’ ” 

For some time Philip worked over this. He 
tried arabic figures, printed words, and Roman 
numerals. At last, he exclaimed, “ Ah, now we 
have it ! ” 

“ Have you really done it? ” cried Patty. 

“ Yes. Look. I write the Roman nine, IX, 
you know. Then I fold the paper crosswise, 
right through the middle. Now, what do you 
read on this side? ” 

“IV,” said Patty; “ that’s four.” 

“ Yes. Now I turn the folded paper over, and 
what do you read? ” 

“VI; that’s six.” 

“ Yes, and six and four are ten. Though, as 
you know, we divided our nine into exactly equal 
parts by that crossways fold through the mid- 
dle.” 

“ That’s a good one,” said Patty, with a lit- 
tle sigh; “ but I don’t see how you guessed it.” 

“ But I see that you’re not to guess any more 
to-night,” said Mr. Fairfield, coming into the 
library, and looking at the absorbed puzzlers. 
“ I’m going to take you both to the dining- 
room, where Mrs. Fairfield will give you a very 
small bit of very light supper, and then, Mr. 
[ 38 ] 


An Able Helper 

Van Reypen, I shall send my daughter to her 
much-needed and well-earned rest.” 

“ But I’m not a bit sleepy, father dear,” pro- 
tested Patty. 

“No matter, my child; if you go into this 
ridiculous game, you must promise me not to 
overdo it. I will not allow you to work late 
at night on these problems.” 

“ All right, Daddykins, I promise. Wow! but 
I’m hungry! Come on, Mr. Van Reypen, let’s 
see what Nan will give us to support our fam- 
ishing frames.” 

To the dining-room they went, and Nan’s gay 
little supper soon brushed the cobwebs out of 
Patty’s brain. But she was well satisfied with 
her first evening of real work on her “ Puzzle 
Contest.” 


[ 39 ] 


CHAPTER III 


A LECTURE 

<c TVATRICIA,” said Mr. Fairfield, one 
p morning at the breakfast-table. 

Patty gave a great jump, clasped her 
hands to her breast dramatically, and exclaimed: 

“ Oh, my gracious goodness ! What do you 
call me that for? ” 

“ Because,’’ went on her father, “ I’m going 
to lecture you, and I’m in a very serious mood.” 

“Proceed, Mr. Frederick Fairfield, Esquire;” 
and Patty assumed an expression of rapt atten- 
tion and excessive meekness. 

“ Well, to put it in a few words, I won’t have 
that young Van Reypen hanging around here so 
much ! ” 

“Oh! is that all? Well, you’re barking up 
the wrong tree! You should advise him of 
that fact, not me.” 

“ Incidentally, as I go along, consider your- 
self reproved for that awful bit of slang. But 
now I’m concerned with this other subject. It 
won’t be necessary for me to speak to the young 
[ 40 ] 


A Lecture 


man, for I’m telling you that you must discour- 
age his attentions somewhat. He comes too 
often.” 

“ I think so, too,” agreed Patty, calmly. 
“ But it isn’t me — I, he comes to see. It’s 
Nan.” 

“Oh, Patty, how silly!” exclaimed Nan, 
laughing and blushing a little. 

“ Yes, it is, daddy. Nan encourages him 
something scan’lous ! I don’t wonder you 
kick! ” 

“ Object, Patty, not kick.” 

“Yes, sir; object is just what I mean.” 
Patty’s demure air made her father laugh, but 
he returned to his theme. 

“ As you know, child, I like to have you 
amused and happy, and I like to have your 
young friends come to see you. But this chap 
has already been here three evenings this week, 
and it’s only Thursday.” 

“ That leaves him just three more to come, 
doesn’t it? ” said Patty, counting on her fingers. 

“Indeed, it does not! If he keeps this up, 
he’ll be forbidden the house altogether.” 

“ Oh, what a pity ! And he such a nice young 
man, with rosy cheeks and curly hair ! Father, 
you’re cruel to your only child! ” 

[4i ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ Now, Patty, behave yourself. You’re too 
young to have a man calling on you so often, 
and I really object to it.” 

“ ‘ I will be good, dear mother, 

I heard a sweet child say,’ ” 

hummed Patty, “ and I’ll tell you frankly, my 
stern parient, that, if you’ll only let the Van 
Reypen villain stay by me until I get these puz- 
zles done, I don’t care if I never see him again 
after that.” 

“ Oh, Patty,” cried Nan, “ how ungrateful! ” 

“ Ungrateful, perhaps, to that bold, bad young 
man, but obedient to my dear, kind, old 
father.” 

When Patty was in this amiably foolish mood, 
she was incorrigible, so Mr. Fairfield said: 

“ All right, my lady. Let him come a few 
times to work out those pestilential puzzles, and 
then I shall hold you to your promise, to cut 
his acquaintance.” 

“Is he really as bad as all that, father?” 
asked Patty, in awestruck tones. 

“ He isn’t bad at all. He’s a most estimable 
and exemplary young man. But I won’t have 
anybody calling on you three nights in one 
[ 42 ] 


A Lecture 

week, at your age. It’s out of the question! 
Kenneth doesn’t.” 

“ But Ken is so busy.” 

“ No, it’s because he has some idea of the 
proprieties.” 

“ And hasn’t Mr. Van Reypen any idea of the 
proprieties? ” Patty’s eyes opened wide at this 
awful suggestion. 

“Yes, he has;” and Mr. Fairfield smiled in 
spite of himself. “ Or, he would have, if you’d 
let him! It’s all your fault, Patty; you drag 
him here, to mull over those idiotic questions ! ” 

“ I drag him here ! Oh, father, what a rude- 
ness ! Well, I simply must have his help on the 
rest of those puzzles. How would it be if you 
engaged him as my assistant, and paid him a 
salary? Would that help matters? ” 

“ How many of your precious puzzles are 
done? ” 

“ Sixty-nine out of the hundred.” 

“ How many have you solved yourself? ” 

“About fifty.” 

“ Then that man did nineteen for you? ” 

“Yes; and, if he hadn’t, I never could have 
guessed them! Oh, he is clever!” 

“ And when do the answers have to be sent 
in?” 


[43] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ April first.” 

“H’m! an appropriate day! Well, Patty, as 
your heart is so set on this thing, carry it 
through; but don’t ever begin on such a task 
again. Now, Mr. Van Reypen may help you, 
if you wish, but I mean it when I say he must 
not come here to call more than twice in one 
week.” 

“ All right,” agreed Patty, cheerfully. “ May 
I send him some puzzles to guess, father?” 

“ Well, I won’t have you writing to him. Not 
letters, I mean. But, if you can’t guess a puz- 
zle, you may send it to him, and I trust you 
not to let this permission develop into a corre- 
spondence.” 

“No, sir; I won’t,” said Patty. 

But, after Mr. Fairfield had gone away, the 
girl turned to Nan, with a perplexed look. 

“ Whatever ails father,” she said, “ to talk 
to me like that? ” 

“ He’s right, Patty. You don’t see the differ- 
ence, but there is a great difference between your 
friendship for Kenneth and Roger, which dates 
from your schooldays, and your sudden ac- 
quaintance with Mr. Van Reypen, who is older, 
and who is a far more experienced man of the 
world.” 


[ 44 ] 


A Lecture 


“ But Mr. Hepworth is a lot older than Mr. 
Van Reypen, and nobody objects to his coming 
here.” 

“ Mr. Hepworth is an old friend of your fa- 
ther’s, and has always been in the habit of com- 
ing here often.” 

“ Well, these distinctions are too much for 
me,” declared Patty. “ But I don’t care a snip- 
jack about Philip Van Reypen, personally. If 
I can just have his help on my thirty-one re- 
maining problems, I’ll cheerfully bid him fare- 
well forevermore.” 

There was no mistaking Patty’s sincerity, and 
Nan felt decidedly relieved, for she and her 
husband had feared that Patty was taking too 
deep a personal interest in the attractive young 
millionaire. 

“ All right, girlie. Suppose, then, you send 
him two or three of your brain-rackers, and ask 
him to come around, say, on Monday next. 
That will convey a gentle hint not to come 
sooner.” 

“That’s a long time,” said Patty, dubiously; 
“ but, if I need to, I can send him more puzzles 
before that.” 

Patty ran away to her study, and spent the 
morning working on her puzzles. It was by 

[ 45 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

no means drudgery, for she enjoyed it all. The 
puzzles were of all sorts, from charades and 
square words, to the most abstruse problems. 
She solved several, and four she gave up as 
impossible for her ever to guess. These she 
concluded to send to Mr. Van Reypen. 

But it was more difficult than she anticipated, 
to compose a note to go with them. 

She had no wish to disobey her father’s com- 
mands, even in spirit, and wanted to write an 
impersonal letter, such as he would approve. 

But, for some reason, she couldn’t accomplish 
it. Philip Van Reypen was himself so straight- 
forward, and so quick to see through any sub- 
terfuge, that all the notes she wrote seemed to 
her artificial and insincere. She tore them up 
one after another, and at' last, seizing her pen 
again, she wrote rapidly: 

“ Dear Mr. Van Reypen: 

“ It’s no use. I’ve written a dozen notes and 
torn them up, trying to imply, or hint politely, 
what I prefer to say right out. It seems my 
parents think you come here too often, and, I 
daresay, you think so, too. So, at their com- 
mand, you’re not to come again till next Mon- 
day. Come at four o’clock, and don’t ask to 
[ 46 ] 


A Lecture 


stay to dinner. I enclose some puzzles that I 
hope you can solve. I can’t. 

“ Sincerely yours, 

“ Patricia Fairfield.” 

“There!” said Patty, to herself, as she read 
it over, “ I think that would do credit to a 
‘ Young Lady’s Model Letter Writer.’ It tells 
the truth without subterfuge, and it certainly 
does not invite the correspondence father is so 
afraid of. Now, I’m not going to touch these 
old puzzles again, to-day, or I’ll have brain 
failure. I think I’ll go and practise some new 
songs. Music hath charms to sooth a puzzled 
breast.” 

So Patty warbled away for an hour or so, in 
her clear, sweet voice, and Nan came down to 
the music room to listen. 

“ Oh, Patty,” she said, “ if you’d put half 
the time and pains on your music that you do 
on those foolish puzzles, you’d be a great 
singer! ” 

“Think so, Nannikins? I doubt it.” 

“ Yes, you would. You have a lovely voice, 
but it needs more training and lots of practice.” 

“Well, it won’t get it. Life’s too short; and, 
too, nobody cares for parlour tricks of a musical 

[ 47 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

nature. I sing well enough to entertain the Fair- 
field family, and that’s all I care for.” 

“ Patty, have you no ambition? ” 

“Yes; but my ambitions are sensible. If I 
practised four hours a day, I’d still have only 
a small parlour voice, — not a concert voice. 
And there’d be four hours a day wasted. And 
days are so short, anyway. I’m going to Chris- 
tine’s this afternoon; do you want the motor? ” 

“ Why, yes; I did expect to make some calls.” 

“ Oh, well, you can drop me on the way. But, 
won’t it be fun, Nan, when I get my own little 
runabout? I’ll be quite independent of Miller 
and the big car.” 

“ You can’t use it alone in the city.” 

“ Oh, yes, I could ! Just to fly over to Chris- 
tine’s in the afternoon, or something like that. 
Father would kick at first, but he’d soon get 
used to it.” 

“ You do wind that poor man around your 
finger, Patty.” 

“ Good thing, too. If I didn’t, he’d wind me 
around his finger. So, as it is, I have the best 
of it. But I’m not at all sure I’ll catch that 
runabout, after all. The first of April draweth 
near, and many of those silly problems refuse 
to let themselves be solved.” 

[48] 


A Lecture 

“ I hope you will get it, after you’ve worked so 
hard.” 

“ I hope so, too. But hopes don’t solve ana- 
grams and enigmas.” 

“ Oh, well, if you don’t get it, there’s always 
room for you in the big car. What time do 
you want to go to Christine’s?” 

“ About four. She won’t be home till then. 
Does that suit your plans?” 

“ Perfectly, my child.” 

So, at four o’clock, Nan left Patty at Chris- 
tine’s new home. 

It was not a typical boarding-house, but an 
apartment occupied by two elderly people, who 
had a room to spare, which seemed just right 
for the young art student. 

Even in the short time she had been there, 
Christine had done much to make the plain 
room more attractive. And Patty had helped, 
for many of the comforts that had been added 
had been her gifts. A growing palm, and a 
smaller bowl of ferns looked thrifty and well- 
kept; and a large jar of exquisite pink roses 
gave the place a gala air. 

“ What lovely roses ! ” exclaimed Patty, 
sniffing daintily at one of them. 

“ Yes, aren’t they?” said Christine. “Mr. 

[ 49 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Hepworth sent them. He sends them every 
week. Isn’t he kind?” 

“ Yes, but no kinder than he ought to be. 
Everybody ought to be good to you, Christine.” 

“Why?” 

u Oh, because you’re so sweet and good, your- 
self. And you work so hard, and you never 
complain, — and you’re so pretty.” 

Patty added the last clause, because her former 
words brought a pink glow to Christine’s cheeks, 
and a shining light to her dark eyes, and she 
looked indeed beautiful. 

“I do work hard; but, Patty, I’m winning 
out! I’ve already had some illustrations ac- 
cepted by a good magazine; and I’ve orders 
for two magazine covers.” 

“ Fine ! Why, Christine, you’ve arrived ! ” 

“ Not quite that; but I’m steadily going ahead. 
I say that quite without conceit. It’s simply that 
I’m learning how to use the talent I have.” 

“You dear!” cried Patty. “As if any one 
could imagine you conceited! And, of course, 
you’re going ahead, — fast ! ” 

“ And, Patty, Mrs. Van Reypen is so good to 
me. I don’t understand it. Why, she fairly 
showers me with kindnesses.” 

“ I understand it. Mrs. Van Reypen is very 

[50] 


A Lecture 


eccentric. If she dislikes people, she can’t be 
caustic enough to them or about them. But, 
if she takes a fancy to any one, then she just 
adores her. And I’m so glad she’s taken a fancy 
to you, — for she surely has.” 

“ Yes, she has. But sometimes it embar- 
rasses me, for she invites me to see her so often, 
or to go to entertainments with her, and I have 
to refuse, for I mustn’t neglect my work.” 

“ Oh, she understands that. You stand by 
your work, and I know her well enough to know 
she’ll respect and admire you all the more for 
it.” 


[5i] 


CHAPTER IV 


THE HUNDREDTH QUESTION 

I T was the very last day of March. The 
next day Patty must send in her answers 
to the hundred puzzles, and she still had 
four of them unsolved. She had worked on 
these all day, and her brain was weary. Ken- 
neth came in late in the afternoon, but he 
couldn’t help, as he had no knack for puzzles. 

“ I don’t like them, Patty,” he declared. 
“ You see acrostics have cross words to them, 
and cross words always irritate me. I like kind 
words.” 

“All right, Ken,” said Patty, laughing; “ I’ll 
invent a new kind of acrostic that has only kind 
words in it, some day. But can’t you help me 
with this one? A train of six cars is to be 
pulled up a steep incline. The engine pro- 
vided can pull only three cars. Another engine 
of equal power is brought and put behind the 
train, to push it up the hill. The two engines, 
working together, get the train uphill. Sup- 
posing the cars coupled with chains, are the 
[ 52 ] 


The Hundredth Question 

chains taut, or hanging loosely? I’ve puzzled 
over that for hours. You see, half the weight 
of the train is pulled and half is pushed, so 
how do those stupid chains know whether 
they’re to hang loose, or pull taut?” 

“ H’m,” said Kenneth, “ there must be an 
answer to that. Where’s your Van Reypen 
satellite? Can’t he do it? ” 

“You needn’t speak of Mr. Van Reypen in 
that tone,” said Patty, annoyed; “he’s helped 
me a lot more than you have ! ” 

“ There, there, Patsy, don’t be an acrostic ! 
Don’t give cross words to your poor old chum, 
who lives but for to please you.” 

Patty laughed at Kenneth’s mock tragic tones, 
but she went on: 

“ I do think you might do one for me, Ken. 
You haven’t even tried.” 

“All right, girlie; I’ll do this one about the 
cars and chains. Do you mind if I go off by 
myself to think it out?” 

Kenneth went into another room, and Patty 
looked after him in wonderment. She didn’t 
guess that he was longing to help her, and, 
though he couldn’t guess conundrums, he hoped 
he might puzzle out this question of mechanical 
power. 


[ 53 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

And then Mr. Hepworth came, and also 
Philip Van Reypen. They knew it was the 
last day, and they wanted to hear what Patty’s 
final report might be. 

Philip Van Reypen had been greatly amused 
at the letter Patty wrote him, and, being an 
exceedingly sensible young man, he had not an- 
swered or referred to it definitely, but had ac- 
cepted its dictum, and had called at the Fairfield 
house far less often. Nor had he again hinted 
for an invitation to dinner, but awaited one 
which should be freely given. 

“ How many yet to do? ” he asked, blithely. 

“ Four,” answered Patty, disconsolately. 

“ Out with ’em! What are they? Not 
charades, I hope; I simply cari t do charades.” 

“ There’s one charade left, but here’s an 
enigma, which is about as bad. Oh, Mr. Hep- 
worth, can’t you guess it?” 

Appealed to thus, Hepworth made up his 
mind to help, if he possibly could, and both he 
and Van Reypen listened attentively as Patty 
read: 

‘“lam intangible, yet I may be felt, seen, and 
heard. I exist from two to six feet above the 
ground. I have neither shape nor substance, 
and, though a natural production, I am neither 

[ 54 ] 


The Hundredth Question 

animal, vegetable, or mineral. I am neither 
male nor female, but something between both. 
I am told of in the Scriptures, in history, in 
song, and in story. I am sad or merry; loving 
or treacherous. I am given or bought, and, be- 
cause of my great value, I am sometimes stolen. 
I am used by men who swear, and by innocent 
children. Of late, there has been a prejudice 
against me, but I shall probably be in vogue as 
long as the world shall stand.’ ” 

They all thought and pondered. Nan came 
in, and, as Patty read it slowly over again, even 
she tried to guess it. But they could not. 

At last Philip Van Reypen gave a whoop of 
triumph, and exclaimed: 

“I have it! Miss Fairfield, I’ve guessed it! 
Will you give it to me, if I tell you what it 
is?” 

“ Your speech sounds like an enigma, too,” 
said Patty, a little bewildered. 

“ But I’ve guessed it, I tell you. And, if you’ll 
promise to give it to me, I’ll tell you the 
answer.” 

“ No, I won’t promise,” said Patty. “ It 
might be the motor car itself ! ” 

“But it isn’t! It’s far more valuable than 
that! It’s a kiss!” 


[ 55 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“Oh! ” said Patty, “so it is! How did you 
guess it? It’s fearfully hard!” 

Mr. Hepworth looked distinctly chagrined. 
Why, he thought, couldn’t he have guessed the 
foolish thing! It was easy enough, — after one 
knew it! 

“Ken, come in here!” cried Patty; “we 
have guessed another! That is, Mr. Van 
Reypen did. Now, there are only three 
left.” 

“ Only two ! ” announced Kenneth, as with a 
beaming face he came in, bringing a dozen 
sheets of paper, scrawled all over with sketches 
of trains of cars going uphill. 

“Oh, have you done that one?” 

“Yes; I’m sure I’m right. The three first 
cars would have taut chains, being pulled by the 
front engine; and the three last cars would be 
pushed up close together, with their chains 
hanging limp, because they are pushed by the 
back engine.” 

“ Oh, Ken, of course that’s right ! Thank 
you, heaps! Now I’ll get the other two, if I 
have to sit up all night to do it! ” 

“What are they?” asked Mr. Hepworth, 
conscious of a faint hope that he might yet be 
of assistance. 

[ 56 ] 


The Hundredth Question 

“ One’s a charade,” answered Patty. “ Here 
it is : 


“ ‘ ’Tis futile, Son, my first to use 

To change to yours another’s views; 

For one convinced against his will 
Is of the same opinion still. 

“ ‘ If e’er a letter you receive 

From maiden fair; pray don’t believe 
All that the note itself may say, — 

But to my last attention pay. 

“ ‘ My total may be well employed 
To still a molar’s aching void, 

When stopping has not stopped the pain; 
That tooth will never ache again ! ’ 

I’ve worked on that a solid week, but I can’t 
get it.” 

“ Count me out, too,” said Philip Van Rey- 
pen; “charades are too many for me.” 

“ I’ll do that one for you, Patty,” said Mr. 
Hepworth, quietly. “ Give me a copy to take 
home with me, and I’ll send you the answer 
to-night, or early in the morning.” 

“ Bless you, my angel! ” cried Patty. “ Will 

[ 57 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

you, really? Why, Mr. Hepworth, I didn’t 
know you could guess charades.” 

“ I can’t! ” said he, a little grimly; “but I’m 
going to, all the same. Good-bye, for now.” 

And, with a do-or-die expression, Mr. Hep- 
worth took leave of the group. 

“Poor man!” said Nan, “he can’t guess it. 
He just wants to help you out, Patty.” 

But Patty smiled and shook her head. 

“Nay, nay, Nan,” she said; “if Mr. Hep- 
worth says he’ll guess that thing, he will! It’s 
as good as done ! ” 

“What faith!” murmured Van Reypen. 

“Yes, indeed!” declared Patty. “Why, if 
I lost faith in Mr. Hepworth, I’d lose faith 
in the, — in the, — universe ! I’ve known him for 
years, and he never fails me ! ” 

“I guessed one! ” said Kenneth, proudly. 

“You did,” returned Patty, smiling on him; 
“ and just for that I’m going to take you a 
whole block in my motor car! ” 

“ Oh ! how lovely. But, first, catch your car.” 

“Now, what’s the only one left?” asked 
Philip, who wanted to distinguish himself again. 

“ Oh, just a simple conundrum,” said Patty. 
“ What is lower with a head on it than without 
one? ” 


[ 58 ] 


The Hundredth Question 

“ That sounds simple, but it isn’t easy,” said 
Philip, after a few moments’ thoughts. “ Nails, 
— pins, — cabbage heads, — nothing seems to be 
the right idea.” 

And, try as they would, they couldn’t think of 
anything that led to the right answer. 

The boys went home, declaring they’d think 
it up, and Patty mulled it over in her mind all 
the evening, without result. 

Then she went to bed, declaring she’d dream 
of the answer. 

The next morning she overslept, and Nan, 
fearing she would be late with her list of an- 
swers, went to waken her. 

“ Wake up, you little April Fool,” she cried, 
gently pulling Patty’s gold curls. 

“ Oh, Nan! is it morning? Pm so sleepy!” 

“ But you must wake up ! It’s the First of 
April, and you must win that motor car to-day 
or never ! ” 

Patty raised her head, and then dropped it 
back on the pillow. 

“I can’t get my head up,” she said; “it’s 
too heavy. I guess I’ll give up the motor car. 
I’d rather keep my head on the pillow. Oh, 
Nan!” and suddenly Patty sprang up, with a 
wild yell. 


t 59 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“That’s it! I’ve got it! Hurrah!” 

“Mercy, Patty, do keep quiet. JVhatf s the 
matter? ” 

“ Why, that’s it ! the last puzzle ! What is 
lower with a head on it than without one? 
Answer: a Pillow! See?” 

“Patty, you’re crazy! I suppose that is the 
answer, but I think it’s silly.” 

“No, it isn’t; not as puzzles go! Oh, Nan, 
now I have them all ! ” 

“ Not the one Mr. Hepworth took away.” 

“ He’ll get it back in time. You see if he 
doesn’t! Oh, Nan, Hooray with me!” 

“ I won’t. You’ve made noise enough to 
frighten the whole block now ! Do quiet down, 
Patty, and get dressed.” 

“ All right, I will,” said Patty, in a whisper, 
and Nan went away, laughing. 

Patty went down to breakfast in a very 
happy frame of mind, and announced to her 
father that the motor car was as good as 
won. 

“ Why do you feel so sure of Mr. Hepworth’s 
puzzle?” asked her father, a little curiously. 
“ He never solved a charade before.” 

“ It doesn’t matter,” said Patty, with supreme 
confidence. “ He said he’d do it. If he hadn’t 
[60] 




“It’s no use ! 


I can’t do it” 

{page io) 





» 


The Hundredth Question 

known he could do it, he wouldn’t have said he 
would do it.” 

“Oh, stop, Patty!” cried Nan. “You talk 
like a puzzle, yourself. Don’t get the habit, 
I beg.” 

“ I won’t. But now I must go and copy my 
answers neatly, and by that time Mr. Hep- 
worth’s will be here, and I’ll send ’em off about 
noon.” 

Patty spent a happy morning copying her an- 
swers in her neat script, and looking with pride 
at her complete list. 

At last it was all done, and she had left a 
vacant space to insert the answer to the charade 
when Mr. Hepworth should send it. But at 
noon it had not arrived, and she had had no 
word from him. 

“ Telephone, and ask him about it,” suggested 
Nan, as they sat at luncheon. 

“ No,” said Patty, “ he said he’d send it, and 
I’ll wait for him.” 

“ How long can you wait? ” 

“ Why, the only stipulation is that the list 
of answers shall be postmarked not later than 
April first; but I hate to wait till the last mail.” 

“So should I; do telephone, Patty.” 

“ No, not yet. He’ll send it.” 


Patty’s Motor Car 

The afternoon dragged by, with no word from 
Mr. Hepworth. At four o’clock, Nan went 
to Patty’s room. 

“ Dearie,” she said, “ don’t lose your whole 
effort by a bit of stubbornness. Mr. Hepworth 
must have forgotten to send his answer — or, 
perhaps, he sent it by a messenger, and it went 
to the wrong place.” 

“ He wouldn’t do that,” said Patty, shaking 
her head. “ He’ll guess it, and, as soon as he 
does, he’ll telephone me. I know him.” 

“ I know him, too, and I know his faithful- 
ness. But mistakes do happen sometimes. If 
you’d only telephone, — or let me.” 

“ No, Nannie,” said Patty, gently. “ This is 
my picnic, and I shall conduct it in my own 
way. And I won’t telephone Mr. Hepworth, if 
I have to send the answers with one miss- 
ing.” 

And then the telephone bell rang! 

And it was Mr. Hepworth calling. 

“I’ve guessed it!” he said, breathlessly, but 
triumphant. “ But it’s rather complicated, and 
I can’t explain it very well over the telephone. 
I’ll come right over. Is there time?” 

“Yes,” returned Patty; “come on. Good- 
bye.” 


[62] 


The Hundredth Question 

She hung up the receiver, and turned to Nan 
with an “ I told you so ” expression on her 
face. 

“ But it was a narrow escape/’ said Nan. 

“ Not at all,” said Patty. 

Then Mr. Hepworth came. 

He looked calm and smiling as ever, and 
showed no trace of his sleepless night and 
anxious hard-working day. 

“ It’s ‘ Forceps,’ ” he said, as soon as he had 
greeted them; “ but it isn’t a fair charade at all. 
A charade should be divided into its two or 
more legitimate syllables. But this one is di- 
vided ‘ Force ’ and ‘ P.S.’ You see, the P.S. is 
referred to as the principal part of a lady’s 
letter.” 

“ Oh, that old joke! ” cried Nan. 

“ Yes. But, if it hadn’t been for that old 
joke, I never could have guessed it. For that 
was what put me on the right track. But the 
whole charade is distinctly unfair in its con- 
struction.” 

“ I think so, too,” said Patty, who had been 
looking it over. “ Oh ! Mr. Hepworth, how did 
you ever guess it?” 

“ I told you I would,” he answered, simply. 

“ Yes; and so I knew you would,” she re- 

[63] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

turned, with a glance as straightforward as his 
own. 

“ Now, I’ll add it to my list,” she went on, 
“ and then we’ll go out to the box together, 
to mail it.” 

In a moment, Patty was ready, with the big, 
fat envelope, clearly addressed and much be- 
stamped. 

Throwing a light wrap round her, she went 
with Mr. Hepworth the half-block to the lamp- 
post letter-box. But the large envelope would 
not go in the box. 

“Never mind, Patty,” he said; “I’ll take it 
to the post-office for you. That will be better, 
anyway, as it may be postmarked a little sooner. 
And it’s my fault that it’s delayed so late, any- 
way.” 

“ It is not ! ” exclaimed Patty. “ If it 
hadn’t been for you, I couldn’t have sent 
the list at all ! I mean, not a complete 
list.” 

“ Van Reypen helped you far more than I 
did,” said Mr. Hepworth, a little bitterly. 

Patty noticed his tone, and, with her ready 
tact, she ignored it. 

“Mr. Van Reypen did help me,” she said; 
“ but, with all his help, the list would not have 

[64] 


The Hundredth Question 

been perfect but for you. I thank you, very 
much.” 

Patty held out her hand, and Hepworth took 
it slowly, almost reverently. 

“ Patty,” he said, “ I wonder if you know how 
much I would do for you?” 

“ How much?” said Patty, not really think- 
ing of what she was saying, for her mind was 
still on her puzzles. 

“Shall I tell you?” and the intense note in 
his voice brought her back to a realising sense 
of the situation. 

“Not now,” she cried, gaily; “you promised 
to get those answers to the post-office in double- 
quick time. That would be the nicest thing you 
could do for me.” 

“Then Pll do it, you little witch;” and, with 
a quick bow, Hepworth turned and strode down 
the street. 


CHAPTER V 


A SUMMER HOME 

“TF I were sure Patty would get her motor 
car,” said Nan, “ I’d vote for the sea- 
shore. But, if she doesn’t, I’d rather 
go to the mountains.” 

“ ’Course I’ll get it,” declared Patty. “ I’m 
sure, certain, positive, convinced, satisfied be- 
yond all shadow of doubt that I’ve cinched that 
car! It only remains to get the formal notice.” 

“ And to get the car,” added her father. 

They were discussing, in family conclave, their 
plans for the coming summer. 

Patty liked the seashore, and Nan, the moun- 
tains, but each wanted the other to be pleased, 
so there was a generous rivalry going on. 

“ But I can use it in the mountains,” went on 
Patty; “mountain roads are pretty much civi- 
lised nowadays. And, anyway, it’s sure to be 
a perfect hill-climber.” 

“Oh, sure to be!” said Mr. Fairfield, who 
never could bring himself to believe seriously 
that Patty would get the car. 

[ 66 ] 


A Summer Home 

“Well, let’s divide the time,” suggested Nan. 
“ Let’s go to the seashore first, and spend, say, 
May, June, and July. Then go to the moun- 
tains for August and September.” 

“ That would be lovely ! ” declared Patty, en- 
thusiastically, “ if I didn’t know you were plan- 
ning it that way for my benefit. And I can’t — 
no, I can not bring myself to accept such a 
sackerry-fice ! ” 

“ You can’t help yourself, you mean,” said 
Nan. “ And, now that part of it’s settled, where 
shall we go? ” 

“ I like the New Jersey shore,” said Mr. Fair- 
field, “ because I can run up to New York so 
easily from there. But I was thinking of buy- 
ing a house, so we could go to it each sum- 
mer, and so do away with this yearly discussion 
of where to go. Even if we have a summer 
home, we can go on a trip to the mountains as 
well, later in the season.” 

“ That’s so,” agreed Nan. “ No one wants 
to go to the mountains before August.” 

“Oh, won’t it be gay!” cried Patty. “A 
home of our own, at the seashore! With lit- 
tle white curtains blowing out of its windows, 
and box trees at the entrance to the drive ! ” 

“ That sounds attractive,” agreed Nan. 

[67] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ And wide verandas all round, and the ocean 
dashing over them, sometimes.” 

“ It wouldn’t be a bad investment,” said Mr. 
Fairfield. “ We wouldn’t build, you know, but 
buy a house, and then fix it up to suit ourselves. 
And, whenever we tired of it, we could sell 
it.” 

“ Good business, Mr. Fairfield,” said Patty, 
nodding her head at him approvingly. “ Now, 
I know the spot I’d like best. And that’s at 
Spring Beach. It’s the prettiest part of the 
whole Jersey coast.” 

“ I think so, too,” said Nan. “ It’s not a 
large enough place to be rackety and noisy, but 
it has beautiful homes and charming people. 
I’ve been there several times, though not to stay 
long.” 

“ Be sure to buy a house with a garage, fa- 
ther,” put in Patty. “ For I must have a place 
to keep my car.” 

“ Well, as we’ll have our own car there, I 
fancy we’ll have a garage, Puss. But we may 
have to add an ell, to accommodate your toy 
wagon. When do you expect to get it, by the 
way? ” 

“ The winner will be announced on the twen- 
tieth of April, and the car delivered about May 
[ 68 ] 


A Summer Home 

first. So I’ll take you both for a May-day ride. 
Not both at once, of course.” 

“ You’ll take Miller on your first few rides, 
my girl; until you’ve thoroughly learned how 
to manage the thing.” 

“ All right, I will. For I don’t want to make 
any stupid mistakes through ignorance. Acci- 
dents may happen, but, if so, I expect to be able 
to use my skill and knowledge to repair them.” 

“ Patty, you have a sublime self-confidence,” 
said her father, laughing; “but I’m glad of 
it. For it will probably carry you through 
when your vaunted skill and knowledge give 
out.” 

A few nights later, Mr. Fairfield came home 
with several photographs of Spring Beach 
houses that were for sale. Each was accom- 
panied with a description, and the Fairfield trio 
looked them over with great interest. Two 
seemed more desirable than the rest, and it was 
decided that, next day, they should all go down 
to the shore to look at them. 

“Let’s take Christine,” suggested Patty; “a 
day at the seashore will do her good.” 

So, next morning, the quartette started for 
Spring Beach. 

Christine had never seen the ocean before, and 

[69] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Patty greatly enjoyed seeing the Southern girl’s 
delight. 

It was a fine April day, the air clear and cool, 
and the blue sky cloudless, save for some cotton- 
wool masses near the horizon. The waves were 
deep, translucent blue, with brilliantly white 
crests, and they rolled and tumbled in to shore, 
as if anxious to greet Christine. 

“ Is it like you thought it would be? ” asked 
Patty, as Christine stood, with clasped hands, 
gazing. 

“Yes; in its lines. For, of course, I’ve seen 
pictures of it. But I didn’t know it was so 
alive ” 

“Yes,” said Patty, with a nod of compre- 
hension, “ that’s the way it seems to me. Really 
alive, and always responsive to my moods and 
thoughts.” 

“ I didn’t know you had moods and thoughts,” 
said Christine, smiling at Patty a little quiz- 
zically. 

“ ’Deed I have! Perhaps not such subtle and 
temperamental ones as yours or Mr. Hep- 
worth’s, but perfectly good moods and thoughts, 
all the same.” 

“Why do you class mine with Mr. Hep- 
worth’s?” 

[ 70 ] 


A Summer Home 

“ Because you’re both artists. Aren’t artists 
supposed to have most impressive and unspeak- 
able thoughts at sight of the ocean or the moon 
or the purple shadows on the distant hills? ” 

“ Patty, I suppose you’re making fun of me, 
but I don’t mind a bit. And, of one thing I’m 
sure, whatever your thoughts may be, they’re 
never unspeakable! ” 

“ Right you are, Christine ! I’m glad you 
appreciate my talent for volubility! That’s 
why I like the sea. I can talk to it all day, 
and it is most appreciative, but it never talks 
back.” 

“ Oh, it talks back to me ! It has told me lots 
of things already.” 

“ That’s because you’re an artist. But this 
must be the new house! Father’s turning in 
here. Oh, isn’t it lovely! ” 

It was a most beautiful place, though its some- 
what dense shrubbery partly hid the view of the 
ocean. 

But the house was delightful. Large, roomy, 
and well-built, it seemed all any one could de- 
sire for a summer home. 

They went through it, with many comments, 
and then went on a block farther, to look at the 
other one they had in mind. 

[ 71 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

This was equally desirable, in every way, as a 
dwelling, but the large grounds had very few 
trees or tall shrubs, so that the sea-view was 
unobstructed. 

“This is my choose! ” declared Patty, sitting 
down on- the steps of the front veranda. 
“ What’s the use of coming to the seashore and 
living in a forest? Oh, my fond parents, do 
decide to take this one, for your little Patty’s 
sake ! ” 

“Will there be shade enough?” asked Mr. 
Fairfield. 

“ Yes, indeed! ” declared Patty. “ If not, we 
can go inside and draw the curtains. But I do 
love a house where you can see out. And I 
think this is the finest ocean view on the beach.” 

“ It is,” corroborated the agent, who was 
showing them the house. “And the sunrise 
view is grand.” 

“ I don’t often see the sun rise,” admitted 
Patty, laughing; “but perhaps I shall, down 
here, for I’m going to sleep out of doors.” 

“ In your motor car? ” enquired her father. 

“No, sir! I’m going to have a veranda bed- 
room. There, you see it, between those two 
front towers. I’ve always wanted to try that 
sort of a fresh-air fund scheme.” 

[ 72 ] 


A Summer Home 

“ Well, whatever you and Nan decide on, I’ll 
agree to,” said Mr. Fairfield, who lived but to 
please his wife and daughter. 

So, after some further serious consideration 
of rooms and outlooks, Nan and Patty agreed 
that the second house they had visited was the 
one for them, and Christine commended their 
choice. 

“ It’s rather large for just us three,” said 
Nan, but Patty replied: “Never mind, we’ll 
have lots of company. I expect to have 
house parties a great deal of the time; 
we’ve never had room for much company 
in New York. What shall we name the 
place? ” 

“ ‘ Sea View,’ ” said her father, and Patty 
laughed. 

“ Yes,” she said; “ or ‘ Ocean View,’ or ‘ Fair 
View,’ or ‘ Beach View ’ ! No, let’s get some- 
thing descriptive and unhackneyed. Help us, 
Christine.” 

“ I like a name like ‘ The Breakers,’ ” said 
Nan. “ It’s so dignified.” 

“ How about ‘ The Pebbles ’? ” asked Chris- 
tine, looking at the pebbled walks that led 
through the lawn. 

“That’s just right!” said Patty, “and it’s 

[ 73 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

seashorey, too. We’ll call the place ‘ The Peb- 
bles ’; shall us, Nan?” 

“Yes; I like that. It’s simple and yet ex- 
pressive.” 

“ And now,” said Mr. Fairfield, “ let us go 
over to the hotel for luncheon, and then, while 
I have a little business talk with the agent, you 
ladies can rave over the sea, the sea, the open 
sea.” 

“ What good times you do have, don’t you, 
Patty?” said Christine, as they strolled along 
the board walk to the hotel. 

“ Yes, Christine, I do. And I often feel as 
if I didn’t deserve so much happiness; and per- 
haps it’s wrong for me to have so much, when 
many other girls have so little.” 

“No, Patty; that isn’t the way to look at it. 
You ought to be glad and thankful, but never 
feel any doubt about its being all right. My- 
self, I have so much to be thankful for, some- 
times my heart almost bursts with gratitude. 
But I know it’s all right, and that I ought to 
have it. Whatever is, is right, Patty.” 

“Yes; I s’pose so. But, Christine, what do 
you mean, about yourself? Are you glad you 
have to earn your own living? ” 

“ Oh, that’s merely incidental. Since I have 

[ 74 ] 


A Summer Home 

to earn my own living, I’m glad I can, of course. 
Or, at least, I shall soon be able to. But I 
mean, I’m so glad that I have such talent as I 
have, and such a love of my life work, and 
such dear friends, and such a happy outlook 
generally.” 

“ Christine, you’re a darling. I don’t believe 
many people know how fine and lovely you are. 
Do they? ” 

“ I don’t know many people,” said Christine, 
smiling; “but those I do know don’t all share 
your views. Elise doesn’t.” 

“ Bother Elise ! Don’t let her bother you ! 
Why think of her at all? Christine, if your 
philosophy of happiness is any good, it ought 
to teach you to cut out anything unpleasant. 
And, if Elise is unpleasant, cut her out.” 

“No, girlie; not that. If Elise is unpleasant, 
— and it may be only my imagination, — I shall 
try to make her become pleasant.” 

“ I wish you joy of your task,” said Patty, 
grinning, for she knew Elise better than Chris- 
tine did, and, while she liked her herself, she 
felt sure her two friends could never be very 
congenial. 

The well-selected and well-served luncheon 
proved most acceptable to appetites sharpened 

[ 75 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

by sea air, and, during its course, enthusiastic 
plans were made for improving and furnishing 
“ The Pebbles.” 

“ Christine will help us with the ‘ artistic val- 
ues,’ — I think that’s what you call ’em,” said 
Patty. “ Nan can look after chairs and tables 
and such prosaic things; and I’ll sew the cur- 
tains and sofa-cushions. I love to make soft, 
silky, frilly things, — and I’m just going to have 
fun with this house.” 

“What’s my part in this universal plan?” 
asked Mr. Fairfield. 

“ Oh, you can just pay the bills, and say ‘ per- 
fectly lovely, my dear,’ whenever we ask you 
how you like anything! ” 

As this was just the role Mr. Fairfield had laid 
out for himself, he acquiesced graciously, and 
then, luncheon being over, they all went back 
to the house again. 

“ We’ll have to come down several times,” 
said Nan, “ but we may as well measure for 
some of the hangings and rugs now.” 

So Mr. Fairfield filled many pages of his 
memorandum book with notes and measure- 
ments, and, after an hour or so, they all felt 
they had made quite a beginning on the fur- 
nishing of the new house. 

[ 76 ] 


A Summer Home 

One delightful room, with a full sea view, 
Patty declared was Christine’s room, and she 
was to occupy it just whenever she chose, and 
she was to select its furnishings herself. The 
girl’s eyes filled with tears at this new proof 
of loving friendship, and, though she knew she 
should take but few vacation days from her 
work that summer, yet she willingly consented 
to select the fittings, on condition that it be 
used as a guest room when she was not present. 

Patty’s own rooms were delightful. A bed- 
room and dressing-room, opening on a half- 
enclosed balcony, gave her the .opportunity for 
sleeping out of doors that she so much de- 
sired. Her father insisted that she should have 
what he called a “ civilised bedchamber,” and 
then, if she chose to play gipsy occasionally, 
she might do so. 

So she and Christine planned all her furniture 
and decorations, and made notes and lists, and, 
before they knew it, it was time to return to 
New York. 

“ You know a lot about house decoration, 
Christine; don’t you?” said Patty, as they sat 
in the homeward-bound train. 

“ No, not a lot. But it comes natural to me 
to know what things harmonise in a household. 

[ 77 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Of course, I’ve never studied it, — it’s a science; 
now, you know. But, if I didn’t want to take 
up illustrating seriously, I would try deco- 
rating.” 

“ Oh, illustrating is lots nicer, — and it pays 
better, too.” 

“ I don’t know about that. But Mr Hep- 
worth says I will make a name for myself as an 
illustrator, and so I know I shall.” 

Patty laughed. “ You have as much faith in 
that man as I have,” she said. 

“ Yes; I’ve implicit faith in his judgment, and 
in his technical knowledge.” 

“ Well, I’ve faith in him in every way. I 
think he’s a fine character.” 

“ You ought to think so, Patty. Why, he wor- 
ships the ground you walk on.” 

“ Oh, Christine, what nonsense 1 ” Patty 
blushed rosy-red, but tried to laugh it off. 
“ Why, he’s old enough to be my father.” 

“ No, he isn’t. He’s thirty-five, — that’s a lot 
older than you, — but, all the same, he adores 
you.” 

“ I wish you wouldn’t talk like that, Chris- 
tine,” said Patty, with a new note of hauteur in 
her voice. “ Mr. Hepworth is my very good 
friend, and I look up to him in every way, but 
[ 78 ] 


A Summer Home 

there is no affection or any such foolishness be- 
tween us.” 

“Not on your side, perhaps; but there is on 
his.” 

“ Well, if you think so, I don’t want to hear 
about it. When you talk like that, it just goes 
to spoil the nice pleasant friendship that Mr. 
Hepworth and I have had for years.” 

“ It isn’t the same as you have for Roger Far- 
rington and Kenneth Harper.” 

“ It is ! Just the same. Except that Mr. Hep- 
worth is so much older that I never call him 
by his first name. The others were my school 
chums. Look here, Christine, we’re going to 
be very good friends, you and I, — but, if you 
talk to me like that about Mr. Hepworth, you’ll 
queer our friendship at its very beginning. Now, 
quit it, — will you? ” 

“ Yes, I will, Patty. And I didn’t mean any 
harm. I only wanted you to know Mr. Hep- 
worth’s attitude toward you.” 

“ Well, when I want to know it, I’ll discover it 
for myself, or let him tell me. N You must know, 
Christine, that I’m not bothering about such 
things. I don’t want affection, as you call it, 
from any man. I like my boy friends, or my 
men friends, but there’s no sentiment or senti- 

[ 79 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

mentality between me and any one of them? 
Are you on ? ” 

“On what?” asked Christine, a little bewil- 
dered at Patty’s emphatic speech. 

“ On deck,” said Patty, laughing at Christine’s 
blank expression and changing the subject with 
promptness and dexterity. 


[80] 


CHAPTER VI 


THE AWARD 

P ATTY was in high spirits. It was the 
twentieth of April, and it was almost 
time for the postman to call on his after- 
noon round. The two Farringtons and Ken- 
neth were present, and all eagerly awaited the 
expected letter, telling the result of the Prize 
Contest. 

“ Just think,” said Patty, “ how many anxious 
hearts all over this broad land are even now 
waiting for the postman, and every one is to 
be disappointed, except me! ” 

“ I believe you enjoy their disappointment,” 
said Elise. 

“ You know better, my child. You know I 
hate to have people disappointed. But, in this 
case, only one can win. I’m glad I’m that one, 
and I’m sorry for the others.” 

“ S’pose you don’t win,” observed Roger; 
“ what will you do? ” 

“ There’s no use s’posin’ that, for it can’t hap- 
pen,” declared Patty, turning from the window, 
C 8 1 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

where she had been flattening her nose against 
the glass, in a frantic endeavour to catch a first 
glimpse of the belated postman. 

“ But, just for fun,” urged Kenneth, “ just for 
argument’s sake, if you didn’t get that prize, 
what would you do ? ” 

“ I wouldn’t do anything. I’d know the com- 
pany that offered it was a fake, and had gone 
back on its own promise.” 

“ Patty, you’re incorrigible ! ” said Ken. “ I 
give you up. You’re the most self-assured, self- 
reliant, cocksure young person I ever saw.” 

“ Thank you, sir, for them kind words ! Oh ! 
sit still, my heart! Do I hear that familiar 
whistle at last? ” 

“ You do! ” shouted Kenneth, making a spring 
for the front door. 

They all followed, but Kenneth first reached 
it, and fairly grabbed the letters from the as- 
tonished letter-carrier. 

Returning to the library with his booty, he 
ran them over slowly and tantalisingly. 

“ One for Mrs. Fairfield,” he said. “ From a 
fashionable tailor. Do you suppose it’s a dun? 
Or, perhaps, merely an announcement of new 
spring furbelows. Next, one for Mr. Fair- 
field. Unmistakably a circular! No good! 

[82] 


The Award 

Ha ! another for Mrs. Fairfield. Now, 
this ” 

“ Oh, Ken, stop ! ” begged Patty. “ Have 
pity on me ! Is there one for me? ” 

“ Yes, yes, child. I didn’t know you wanted 
it. Yes, here’s one for you. It is postmarked 
‘ Vernondale.’ Take it, dear one!” 

“Nonsense, Ken. Not that one! But isn’t 
there one from the Rhodes and Geer Motor 
Company? ” 

“ Why, yes; since you mention it, I notice there 
is such a one! Do you want it? ” 

Kenneth held it high above Patty’s head, but 
she sprang and caught it, and waved it trium- 
phantly in the air. 

“ I told you so! ” she cried. 

“ But you haven’t opened it yet,” said 
Elise. “ Maybe it only tells you you’ve 
failed.” 

“Hush, hush, little one!” said Patty. “I’ll 
show it to you in a minute.” 

Accepting the letter-opener Kenneth proffered, 
she cut open the envelope, and read the few 
lines on the typewritten sheet enclosed. She 
read them again, and then slowly refolded the 
sheet and returned it to its envelope. 

“ After all,” she said, calmly, “ it is well to 

[ 33 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

be of a philosophical nature in a time of dis- 
appointment.” 

“ Oh, Patty, you didn’t win ! ” cried Ken- 
neth, springing to her side, and grasping her 
hand. 

“ No, I haven’t won,” said Patty, with a heart- 
rending sigh. 

“ I thought you were terribly positive,” said 
Elise, not very kindly. 

“ I was,” sighed Patty. “ I was terribly posi- 
tive. I am, still ! ” 

“What are you talking about, Patty?” said 
Roger, who began to think she was fooling 
them. “ Let me see that letter.” 

“ Take it! ” said Patty, holding it out with a 
despairing gesture. “ Read it aloud, and let 
them all know the worst!” 

So Roger read the few lines, which were to the 
effect that, owing to the unexpected number of 
answers received, the decision must be delayed 
until May first. 

“Oh, Patty!” exclaimed Kenneth, greatly re- 
lieved. “ How you scared me ! Of course 
you’ll get it yet.” 

“ Of course I shall,” said Patty, serenely, “ but 
I hate to wait.” 

Since it was not failure, after all, the young 

[84] 


The Award 


people felt greatly relieved, and congratulated 
Patty upon her narrow escape. 

“ But the situation is too dramatic for my 
nerves,” declared Kenneth. “ When the real 
letter comes, I prefer not to be here. I can’t 
stand such harrowing scenes.” 

“ It won’t be harrowing when the real letter 
comes,” said Patty. “ It will be just one grand, 
triumphant jubilee.” 

“ Well, jubilees are nerve-racking,” said Ken- 
neth. “ I think I’ll stay away until the shout- 
ing is over.” 

“ You can’t,” said Patty, saucily. “ You’ll be 
the first one here, the day the letter is due.” 

“ Oh, I suppose so ! Curiosity has always been 
my besetting sin. But to-day’s entertainment 
seems to be over, so I may as well go 
home.” 

“ Us, too,” said Roger. “ Come on, Elise.” 

So good-byes were said, and Patty’s friends 
went laughing away. 

Then Patty took up the letter and read it 
again. 

“ Ten days to wait,” she said, to herself. 
“ And suppose I shouldn’t get it, after all? But 
I will, — I know I will. Something inside my 
brain makes me feel sure of it. And, when I 
[ 85 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

have that sort of sureness, it never goes back 
on me ! ” 

She went upstairs, singing merrily, and with- 
out a shadow of doubt in her mind as to her 
success in the contest. 

The ten days passed quickly, for Patty was so 
absorbed in the furnishings for the new summer 
home that she was occupied every moment from 
morning till night. 

She went with Nan to all sorts of fascinating 
shops, where they selected wall-papers, rugs, 
furniture, and curtains. Not much bric-a-brac, 
and very few pictures, for they were keeping the 
house simple in tone, but comfortable and cheer- 
ful of atmosphere. Christine gladly gave her 
advice when needed, but she was very busy with 
her work, and they interrupted her as seldom 
as possible. 

Patty bought lovely things for her own 
rooms, — chairs of blue and white wicker; cur- 
tains of loose-meshed, blue silky stuff, over ruf- 
fled dimity ones; a regulation brass bedstead 
for her bedroom, but a couch that opened into 
a bed for her out-of-door dormitory. By day, 
this could be a chintz-covered couch with chintz 
pillows ; by night, a dainty, white nest of downy 
comfort. Several times they went down to 
[ 86 ] 


The Award 


Spring Beach, to inspect the work going on 
there, and always returned with satisfactory 
reports. 

As the time of departure drew near, Elise be- 
gan to realise how much she would miss Patty, 
and lamented accordingly. 

“ I think you might have arranged to go where 
we’re going,” she said. “ You know you could 
make your people go wherever you wanted to.” 

“ But you go to the Adirondacks, Elise; I 
couldn’t run my motor car much up there.” 

“ Oh, that motor car! Even if you do get 
it, Patty, you won’t use it more than a few times. 
Nobody does.” 

“ P’raps not. But, somehow, it just seems to 
me I shall. It just seems to me so. But, Elise, 
you’ll come down to visit me? ” 

“ Yes; for a few days. But you’ll have Chris- 
tine there most of the time, I suppose.” 

“ I’ll have Christine whenever she’ll come,” 
said Patty, a little sharply; “ and, Elise, if you 
care anything for my friendship, I wish you’d 
show a little more friendliness toward her.” 

“Oh, yes; just because Mr. Hepworth thinks 
she’s a prodigy, and Mrs. Van Reypen has taken 
her up socially, you think she’s something 
great! ” 


[87] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Patty looked at Elise a moment in astonish- 
ment at this outburst, and then she broke into a 
hearty laugh. 

“I think you’re something great, Elise! I 
think you’re a great goose ! What kind of talk 
are you talking? Christine is a dear, sweet, 
brave girl, — and you know it. Now, drop it, 
and never, never, never talk like that again.” 

Elise was a little ashamed of her unjust speech, 
and only too glad to turn it off by joining in 
Patty’s laughter. So she only said, “ Oh, Chris- 
tine’s all right! ” and dropped the subject. 

By the first of May, everything was ready for 
occupancy at “ The Pebbles.” The lawn and 
grounds were in fine condition, and the house 
in perfect order. 

But Patty begged that they shouldn’t start un- 
til she had received word about her prize car. 

“ Why, Puss, all the mail will be forwarded,” 
said her father. “ You’ll get your precious mis- 
sive there just as well as here.” 

“ I know that, daddy dear, — but, well, — I 
can’t seem to feel like going, until I know that 
car is my very own. Just wait until the third 
of May, can’t you?” 

She was so persuasive that Nan went over to 
her side, and then, of course, Mr. Fairfield had 
[ 88 ] 


The Award 


to give his consent to wait. Not that he cared, 
particularly, but he was a little afraid that 
Patty would not get the prize, and thought she 
might bear her disappointment better if away 
from her young friends. 

But they waited, and again the group of those 
most interested gathered in the Fairfield library 
to await the letter. 

Christine and Mr. Hepworth were there, too, 
this time; also Philip Van Reypen. 

Mr. and Mrs. Fairfield, though outwardly 
calm and even gay, were perhaps the most 
anxious of all, for they knew how keenly a dis- 
appointment would affect Patty. 

The whistle sounded. The postman’s step was 
heard. Instead of rushing to the door, Patty 
felt a strange inertia, and sank back in her 
chair. 

“,Go, Ken,” she said, faintly, and Kenneth 
went. 

Silently he took the mail from the carrier, si- 
lently he returned with it to the library. There 
was none of the gay chaffing they had had be- 
fore, and all because Patty, the moving spirit, 
was grave and quiet, with a scared, drawn look 
on her sweet face. 

Hastily running over the letters, Kenneth laid 

[89] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

aside all but one, and slowly extended that to 
Patty. 

She took it, opened it, and read it with a dazed 
expression. 

The eager ones circled round, with faces tense 
and waiting. 

Again Patty read her letter. Then, still with 
that dazed look on her face, she glanced from 
one to another. As her eyes met Mr. Hep- 
worth’s, she suddenly held the paper out to him. 

“ I’ve won,” she said, simply, and gave him 
the letter. 

Then she drew a short little sigh, almost a sob 
of relief, and then the colour came back to her 
face, the light to her eyes, and she smiled 
naturally. 

‘‘I’ve won!” she cried again. “It’s all 
right! ” 

Then there was jubilation, indeed! Every- 
body congratulated everybody else. Everybody 
had to read the wonderful letter, and see for 
himself that the prize, the Electric Runabout, 
had indeed been awarded to Miss Patricia Fair- 
field, for the best and most complete list of an- 
swers to the puzzles in the contest. 

Only the girls’ parents and Gilbert Hepworth 
knew how tightly the tension of Patty’s nerves 
[ 90 ] 


The Award 


had been strained, but they had been alertly 
watching for any sign of collapse, and were 
thankful and relieved that the danger was over. 

Hepworth didn’t stop then to wonder why 
Patty had handed him the letter first. And, in- 
deed, she didn’t know herself. But she felt his 
sensitive sympathy so keenly, and saw such deep 
anxiety in his eyes, that involuntarily she turned 
to him in her moment of triumph. 

“ I told you so ! ” Philip Van Reypen was 
shouting. “ I knew we’d win! Hepworth, old 
man, you did it, with that last charade! Bully 
for you ! ” 

“Yes, he did! ” cried Patty, holding out her 
hand to Mr. Hepworth, with a smile of grati- 
tude; “but you all helped me. Oh, isn’t it 
splendid ! I didn’t so much care for the car, but 
I wanted to win! ” 

“Oh, listen to that!” exclaimed Kenneth. 
“ She didn’t care for the car! Oh, Patty, what 
are you saying? Give me the car, then! ” 

“ Oh, of course I want the car, you goose ! But 
I mean I really cared more for the game, — the 
winning of it ! ” 

“ Of course you did! ” declared Van Reypen. 
“ That’s the true sportsman spirit : * not the 
quarry, but the chase ! ’ Pm prpqd of you, 
[9i] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Miss Fairfield! Your sentiments are the 
right sort.” 

Patty smiled and dimpled, quite her roguish 
self again, now that the exciting crisis was past. 

“Nan,” she cried, “we must celebrate! Will 
you invite all this hilarious populace to dinner, 
or give them an impromptu tea-fight right 
now? ” 

“Dinner!” cried Philip Van Reypen; and 
“Dinner!” took up the other voices, in gay 
insistence. 

“ Very well,” said Nan; “ but, if it’s to be din- 
ner, you must all run away now and come back 
later. I can’t order a celebration dinner at a 
moment’s notice.” 

“ All right, we will.” And obediently the 
guests went away, to return later for a gala 
dinner. 

And a real celebration it was. Mr. Fairfield 
himself went out to the florist’s and returned 
with a centrepiece for the table, consisting of 
a wicker automobile filled with flowers. 

By dint of much telephoning, Nan provided 
place cards and favours of little motor cars; 
and the ices were shaped like tiny automobiles; 
and the cakes like tires. And all the viands 
were so delicious, and the guests so gay and 
[ 92 ] 


The Award 

merry, that the feast was one long to be remem- 
bered by all. 

“When will you get the car, Patty?” asked 
Elise. 

“ I don’t know exactly. In a fortnight, per- 
haps. But we’ll be down at Spring Beach then, 
so whoever wants a ride in it will have to come 
down there.” 

“ I want a ride in it,” said Philip Van Rey- 
pen, “ and I will come down there. May I ask 
you to set the date? ” 

“ You’ll get a notification in due season,” said 
Patty, smiling at the eager youth. “ I’m not 
sure it’s your turn first. No, Elise must be 
first.” 

“ Why, I didn’t help you at all,” said Elise, 
greatly pleased, however, at Patty’s remark. 

“ No, but you’re my lady friend, and so you 
come first. Perhaps your brother will come 
with you.” 

“ Perhaps he will! ” said Roger, with em- 
phasis. 

“ And who comes next? ” asked Kenneth, with 
great interest. 

“ Christine, of course,” said Patty, smiling at 
the Southern girl, who was enjoying all the fun, 
though quiet herself. 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ Just as I guessed,” said Kenneth. “ And, 
then , who next? Don’t keep me in suspense! ” 

“ Owing to the unexpected number of appli- 
cants, decision is delayed for ten days,” said 
Patty, laughing at Ken’s disappointed face. 
“ We’ll let you know when you’re due, Ken. 
Don’t you worry.” 

“Need / worry?” asked Van Reypen, and 
then Hepworth said, “ Need I? ” 

“ No, you needn’t any of you worry. But 
I’m not going to take anybody riding until I 
learn how to manage the frisky steed myself.” 

“ But I can show you,” said Philip, insinu- 
atingly. 

“ So can I,” said Roger. 

“ No, you can’t,” said Patty. “ Miller is go- 
ing to teach me, and then, — well, then, we’ll see 
about it.” 

And, with this somewhat unsatisfactory invita- 
tion to “ The Pebbles,” they were forced to be 
content. 

After dinner, Kenneth remarked that it looked 
like a shower. 

“ What do you mean? ” asked Patty. “ It’s a 
still, clear night.” 

“You come here, and I’ll show you,” said 
Kenneth, mysteriously. Then, taking Patty’s 

[ 94 ] 


The Award 


hand, he led her to a large davenport sofa, and 
seated her in the centre of it. 

“ Now,” he said, “ let it shower! ” 

As if by magic, a half a dozen or more parcels 
of all shapes and sizes fell into Patty’s lap. 

“ It’s a shower, for you ! ” explained Elise, 
dancing about in glee. “ Open them ! ” 

“ Oh! I see,” said Patty. “ How gorgeous! ” 

The parcels were in tissue paper, ribbon-tied, 
and Patty was not long in exposing their con- 
tents. One and all, they were gifts selected 
with reference to her new motor car. 

Elise gave her a most fetching blue silk hood, 
with quaint shirring, and draw-strings, and wide 
blue ribbon ties. 

Christine gave her a lovely motor-veil, of the 
newest style and flimsiest material. 

Roger gave her gauntleted motor-gloves, of 
new and correct make. 

Kenneth gave a motor-clock, of the most ap- 
proved sort; and Philip Van Reypen presented 
a clever little “ vanity case,” which shut up into 
small compass, but held many dainty toilette 
accessories. 

Mr. Hepworth’s gift was an exquisite flower 
vase, of gold and glass, to be attached to her 
new car. 


[ 95 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Patty was more than surprised; she was al- 
most overcome by this “ shower ” of gifts, and 
she exclaimed: 

“You are the dearest people! And you 
needn’t wait for invitations. Come down to 
‘ The Pebbles ’ whenever you want to, and I’ll 
take you all riding at once! I don’t see where 
you ever found such beautiful things ! Nor 
why you gave them to me ! ” 

“ Because we love you, Patty dear,” said Chris- 
tine, so softly that she thought no one heard. 

But Kenneth heard, and he smiled as he looked 
at Patty, and said, “ Yes, that’s why.” 


[96] 


CHAPTER VII 


A NEIGHBOUR 

T WO days later the Fairfields went down 
to Spring Beach. 

The intervening day was a busy one. 
Mr. Fairfield went with Patty to select her 
motor car, for some details of equipment and 
upholstery were left to her choice. As the car 
had been built especially for the Prize Contest, 
it was a beautiful specimen of the finisher’s art. 
It was a Stanhope, of graceful design and fine 
lines. The body was Royal Blue, with cushions 
of broadcloth of the same colour. 

Patty was informed she could have any other 
colour if she wished, but she said the blue suited 
her best. 

There was a top which could be put up or 
down at will, wide skirt-protecting mudguards, 
and a full equipment of all necessary parapher- 
nalia, such as storm-apron, odometer, and a com- 
plete set of tools. 

Patty had carried with her her flower vase 
and clock, and the man in charge agreed to have 

[ 97 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

them fastened in place. The flower vase, he 
said, was unusual on a Stanhope, but, when 
Patty said it must be attached somewhere, he 
promised to have it done. 

The steering gear was a bar, fitted with a hand 
grip, and both this and the controller were ex- 
ceedingly simple and easily operated. 

The demonstrator offered to give Patty a driv- 
ing lesson then and there, but Mr. Fairfield pre- 
ferred that she should be taught by himself, or 
his experienced chauffeur, the trusty Miller. 

Of course, the men in charge of the salesroom 
where the car was on exhibition were greatly 
interested in seeing Patty, because she was the 
winner of the contest. One young man stepped 
forward with a camera, and asked the privi- 
lege of taking a picture of Patty seated in her 
own car. 

But this Mr. Fairfield would not allow, and, 
after making the necessary arrangements about 
shipping the motor to Spring Beach, he took 
Patty away. 

“ Isn’t it fun, father?” she exclaimed, as she 
went off with him, her hands full of descriptive 
catalogues and circulars, telling of the marvel- 
lous superiority of the Rhodes and Geer cars 
over all competitors. 

[ 98 ] 


A Neighbour 

“ It’s lots more interesting than if you had just 
bought a car and given it to me.” 

“ And lots less expensive, too,” said Mr. Fair- 
field, smiling. “ Why, Patty, girl, that whole 
affair, as it stands, is worth nearly three thou- 
sand dollars.” 

“ Goodness gracious! Is it really? I had no 
idea they were so expensive! Why, your big 
car didn’t cost much more than that, did it? ” 

“ But, you see, this Stanhope of yours is a spe- 
cial car, in every way, and all its fittings and ac- 
cessories are of the most up-to-date and ex- 
travagant type. You must do all you can for 
the company, by praising it to your friends. I 
don’t think you can do any more than that to 
further their interests.” 

“ Oh, I don’t feel under any obligation to the 
company. It was a business enterprise on their 
part. They offered a prize and I won it. Now 
we’re quits. Of course, I shall praise the car 
to my friends, but only because it’s such a 
beauty, and not because I feel that I owe any- 
thing to the company.” 

“ You are rather a logical young woman, after 
all, Patty. Sometimes you seem a feather- 
headed butterfly, and then again you appear to 
have sound sense.” 


[ 99 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ A ‘ feather-headed butterfly ’ sounds pretty, 
I think. I guess I’ll be that, mostly.” 

“ You won’t have to try very hard,” remarked 
her father. 

“ But sometimes I have spells of being very 
serious: for instance, wasn’t I serious when I 
tried so hard to earn fifteen dollars in one 
week?” 

“ Yes, serious enough; but it was largely your 
stubborn determination to succeed.” 

“ Well, that’s a good trait to have, then. It’s 
what Mr. Hepworth calls steadfastness of pur- 
pose.” 

“ Yes; they’re about the same thing. And I’m 
glad you have it; it’s what won the car for 
you.” 

“ That, and my helpful friends.” 

“ Oh, the helpful friends were incidental, like 
text-books or cyclopaedias. I truly congratulate 
you, Patty, girl, on your real success in this 
instance. But I also ask of you not to go* into 
anything of such a public nature again, with- 
out consulting me first.” 

“ All right, Father Fairfield, I promise.” 

And then they were at home again, and the 
luncheon hour was enlivened by Patty’s descrip- 
tions to Nan of her wonderful new toy. 

[ ioo] 


A Neighbour 

“Are you going to give it a name, Patty?” 
Nan asked, after hearing of its glories. 

“ Yes; but not yntil after I’ve used it. I can’t 
tell, you see, just what sort of a name it needs 
until I try it. And, Nan, let’s do a little shop- 
ping this afternoon. I want a new motor-coat, 
and a few other trifles, to live up to the appear- 
ance of that thing of beauty.” 

The shopping was done, some marvellous 
motor-apparel was purchased, and then, the next 
day, the departure from New York was made. 

They reached “ The Pebbles ” in mid-after- 
noon, and the ocean and sky were a glowing 
mass of blue and white and gold. 

Nan’s well-trained servants had the house open 
and ready for them, and Patty flew up the 
steps and into the great hall with a whoop of 
delight. 

“Isn’t it great, Nan! Isn’t it fine! More 
fun than travelling abroad or touristing through 
Sunny It. ! For, you see, this is our own home 
and we own it! ” 

“ Patty, your enthusiasm will wear you out 
some day. Do take it more quietly.” 

“ Can’t do it! I’m of a nervous temperament 
and exuberant disposition, and I have to express 
my thinks ! ” 


[ ioi ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

The big hall was in reality a living-room. It 
extended straight through the house, with wide 
doors at either end. It had alcoves with cush- 
ioned seats, a huge fireplace, deep-seated win- 
dows, and from one side a broad staircase 
curved upward, with a landing and balcony half- 
way. 

The wicker furniture was well-chosen and pic- 
turesque, besides being very comfortable and 
inviting. 

“ Just as soon as I can get a few things flung 
around, it will be perfect,” announced Patty. 
“ At present, it’s too everlastingly cleared-up- 
looking.” 

She tossed on a table the magazines she had 
bought on the train, and flung her long veil over 
a chair back. 

“There, you see!” she said. “Watch that 
veil flutter in the seabreeze, — our own sea- 
breeze, coming in at our own front door, and 
then tell me if ‘ The Pebbles ’ is a success ! ” 

“Yes; and, unless you shut that door, you’ll 
have a most successful cold in your head,” ob- 
served her father. “ It’s May, to be sure, but 
it doesn’t seem to be very thoroughly May, as 
yet.” 

So Patty shut the door, and then, opening the 
[ 102 ] 


A Neighbour 

piano, she sang “ Home, Sweet Home,” and 
then some gayer songs to express her enthusiasm. 

Her own rooms, Patty concluded, were the gem 
of the house. From her balcony, on which she 
proposed to sleep, she had not only a wide view 
of the sea, but an attractive panorama of the 
beautiful estates along the shore. A hammock 
was slung between two of the pillars, and, 
throwing herself into this, with an Indian 
blanket over her, Patty swayed gently back and 
forth, and indulged in daydreams of the com- 
ing summer. An hour later, Nan found her 
still there. 

“Come to tea, Patty,” she said; “we’re hav- 
ing it indoors, as the wind is rising.” 

“ Yes, it’s breezing up quite some;” and Patty 
looked out at the waves, now so darkly blue as 
to be almost black. 

She followed Nan downstairs to the hall, and 
looked approvingly at the tea-table, set out near 
the blazing wood-lire. 

“ Lovely! ” she cried. “ I believe I am chilly, 
after all. But the air is fine. Buttered muffins, 
oh, goody! Father, the table bills will be a 
lot bigger down here than in the city.” 

“I daresay; but I won’t begrudge them, if 
you will put some more flesh on that willowy 
[ 103 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

frame of yours. You’re not strong, Patty, and 
I want you to devote this summer to building 
yourself up physically. No study, not much 
reading, no ‘ Puzzle Contest ’ work. Just rest, 
and exercise moderately, and spend most of your 
time out-of-doors.” 

“ Why, daddy dear, your plans and specifica- 
tions exactly suit me! How strange that our 
ideas should be the same on this subject! You 
see, with my new Stanhope, I’ll be out-of-doors 
all day, and, as I propose to sleep in the open, 
I’ll be out-of-doors all night. Can I do more? ” 

“ Pm not sure about this sleeping outside. You 
must never do it on damp or foggy nights.” 

“ Now, father, the sanitariums advise it for 
everybody — every night. Well, I’ll agree not 
to sleep out in a thunderstorm, for I’m scared 
to death of them.” 

“ And you mustn’t begin it yet, anyway. It’s 
too cold. Wait until June, and then we’ll see 
about it.” 

“ All right, I’ll agree to that. Why, some- 
body’s coming up the front walk! Nan, here 
comes our first caller. Wow ! She’s a dasher ! ” 

In a few moments, Jane, the new parlour maid, 
admitted the visitor, and she came in with a self- 
important flutter. 


[ 104] 


A Neighbour 

“ How do you do? ” she said, cordially. “ I’m 
Miss Galbraith, — Mona Galbraith, your next- 
door neighbour. At least, we live in the house 
with red chimneys, two blocks down, but there’s 
no house between us.” 

“ How do you do, Miss Galbraith,” said Nan, 
rising to greet the guest, and followed by the 
others. 

“ You see,” went on the young woman, volu- 
bly, after she had accepted the seat offered by 
Mr. Fairfield, “ I thought I’d just run right 
in, informally, for you might feel a bit lone- 
some or homesick this first day. So many peo- 
ple do.” 

“ No,” said Patty, smiling, “ we’re not lone- 
some or homesick, but it was nice of you to 
come to see us in this neighbourly fashion. Have 
a muffin, won’t you?” 

“ Indeed, I will; what delicious muffins! Did 
you bring your servants with you? ” 

“ Some of them,” said Nan. “ We’re simple 
people, and haven’t a large retinue.” 

“ Well, we have,” said Miss Galbraith. “ And 
I’m at the head of the whole bunch. Just fa- 
ther and I; we live alone, you know. Will 
you come to see us? Come to dinner, soon, 
won’t you? ” 


[ 105 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ We’ll see about it,” said Nan, who scarcely 
knew how to take this self-possessed and some- 
what forward young person. 

Miss Galbraith wore a costume of embroidered 
white linen, but the embroidery was too elabo- 
rate, and the style of the gown rather extreme. 
She wore a long gold chain, with what Patty 
afterward called half a peck of “ junk ” dan- 
gling from it. There were a lorgnette, a purse, 
a cardcase, a pencil, a vinaigrette, a well-filled 
key-ring, and several other trifles, all attached 
to the chain, and Miss Galbraith played with 
the trinkets incessantly. 

“ I hope we’ll be real good friends,” she said, 
earnestly, to Patty. “ I want an intimate friend 
awfully, and I like your looks.” 

As Patty couldn’t honestly return the compli- 
ment, she said nothing in reply. Miss Gal- 
braith’s personal appearance was comely, and 
yet it was not of the type with which Patty 
was accustomed to be friendly. Her sandy hair 
was too much curled and puffed, piled too high 
on her head, and held with too many jewelled 
pines; while her rather large hands showed too 
many rings for a young girl. 

Her high-heeled, white shoes were too tight 
for her, and her easy attitudes and frank 
[106] 


A Neighbour 

speech were too informal for a first call on 
strangers. 

“ Of course, we shall be friends,” said Nan, 
with just enough absence of enthusiasm in her 
tones to convey to a sensitive mind her reserva- 
tions. 

But Miss Galbraith hadru’t a sensitive mind. 

“ Dear Mrs. Fairfield,” she said, effusively, 
“ how good you are ! I see you have the neigh- 
bourly instinct. Isn’t it nice that we’ll all be 
down here together for the whole summer? Do 
you swim, Miss Fairfield? and do you love to 
dance? ” 

“ Yes,” began Patty, “ but ” 

As she hesitated, Mr. Fairfield came to his 
daughter’s rescue. 

“ To be frank, Miss Galbraith,” he said, “ I 
am trying to keep my daughter rather quiet this 
summer. I want her to exercise only moder- 
ately, and I must positively forbid much danc- 
ing, and late hours, and all that sort of thing.” 

“Oh, that’s all right,” returned the visitor; 
“ nobody keeps very late hours at Spring Beach. 
Well, I must run away now, — and I give you 
fair warning! If you don’t come and return my 
call soon, I’ll come straight over here and re- 
turn it myself ! ” 


[ 107 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

She shook a playful finger at Patty, and, after 
voluble leave-takings, she went away, tripping 
down the walk with the satisfied air of one who 
has accomplished her object. 

“Well!” said Patty, with an air of utter 
exasperation. 

“ Well! ” exclaimed Nan. 

Mr. Fairfield smiled grimly. 

“ It’s our own fault,” he said. “ We should 
have enquired as to the character of the neigh- 
bours before we bought the house.” 

“How soon can you sell it, father?” asked 
Patty. “ One more visitation like that would 
give me nervous prostration ! Mona ! Mona, 
indeed! I never saw a Mona before, but I 
might have known they were like that.” 

“ But can’t you really stay here? ” asked Mr. 
Fairfield, in alarm. 

“Nonsense, daddy, of course we can! Do 
you think I’d let myself be dispossessed by a 
mere Mona? No, sir; Nan and I can manage 
her.” 

“ I don’t quite see how,” said Nan, thought- 
fully. “ She’s that impossible sort. Oblivious 
to manner, impervious to hints. Patty, she’s 
dreadful!” 

“ Of course she is, Sweet Nancy. She isn’t our 
[i°8] 


A Neighbour 

sort. But I’ll attend to her. I don’t know how, 
just yet, but I’ll find out. She’s a problem to 
be coped with, a difficulty to be overcome. But 
did you ever see such a gown? There was just 
enough embroidery on it for three self-respect- 
ing frocks. And her hair! Looked like the 
wax ladies’ coiffures in the hair-store windows ! ” 

“ Don’t make rude personal remarks, Patty, 
girl.” 

“ Oh, father, as if one could be rude to an 
object like that! Well, people dear, let’s put 
her out of our minds and hearts for the rest of 
to-day, anyway. I won’t have the birthday of 
‘ The Pebbles ’ spoiled by a slight incident like 
that. Forget it!” 

And so the impossible Miss Galbraith was 
voluntarily ignored. 


[ 109 ] 


CHAPTER VIII 


SWIFT CAMILLA 


T last the car came. Patty was in a flut- 



ter of joyous expectation, and, as Miller 


came whirring up the drive in it, the 
whole family assembled on the veranda to ad- 
mire it. 

“ Isn’t it a beauty, Nan! Oh, isn’t it? ” Patty 
exclaimed, as the sunlight flashed gold sparkles 
on the shining paint. 

“ It is, indeed, Patty. I never saw such a 
pretty one. Are you sure you can run it? ” 

“ Oh, yes ! I know how already. You just 
stick in a key and turn it, and grab the brake- 
handle, and take hold of the steering bar, and 
push and pull whenever you think you ought 


to.” 


“ Not very technical language,” said Mr. 
Fairfield, smiling, “ but I think you understand 
the operation. Jump in, Puss; I’m going with 
you for your first spin.” 

But, though Mr. Fairfield was an interested 
spectator, Patty manipulated the car all by her- 


[ no] 


Swift Camilla 


self, and seemed to know intuitively a great 
many of the minor details. 

“ There’s only one trouble, dad,” she said, as 
they went spinning along the smooth, hard road, 
“ I can’t take you and Nan with me both at 
once.” 

“Never mind, girlie; when we feel as so- 
ciable as that, we’ll go in the big car. Now, 
Patty, let me see you change the speed.” 

Then followed a careful lesson, in speed chang- 
ing, stopping suddenly, turning, going back- 
ward, and all the various emergencies that oc- 
cur in driving. 

“ You certainly are a born motorist, Patty,” 
said her father, at last. “ You are unusually 
clever and quick-witted about knowing what to 
do, and doing it swiftly and cleanly. Hesitation 
in motoring often means trouble.” 

“ It’s because I love it, father. I’d rather mo- 
tor than go driving or boating or even flying. 
Aren’t you glad I don’t want an aeroplane, 
daddy?” 

“ You wouldn’t get it, if you did. Not even 
if you earned it yourself, as you did this car. 
Now, Patty, turn around and let’s go home.” 

Skilfully, Patty turned around, and they sped 
on their homeward way. 

[in] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ Some things you must promise me, Patty,” 
said her father, seriously, as they drew near the 
house. “ Never start out without knowing 
pretty definitely how long it will take you, and 
when you’ll return. Never go without being 
sure you have enough current for the trip. Of 
course, Miller will look after this for you, but 
I want you to understand it thoroughly your- 
self.” 

“ Yes, I want to learn all about the work- 
ing parts, and how to repair them, if neces- 
sary.” 

“ That will come later. Learn to run it per- 
fectly, first. And, too, I want you to promise 
never to start anywhere so late that there’s even 
a possibility of your being out after dark. I 
wouldn’t let you go out alone, or with a girl 
friend, in the city, but down here you may do 
so, if you never travel except by daylight. You 
understand, Patty?” 

“ Yes, father, and I promise. As you know, 
I only want to go on little, short drives, two 
or three hours, usually.” 

“ Very well. I trust you not to do anything 
of which I would disapprove. You’re a good 
girl, Patty; at least, you mean to be. But some- 
times your enthusiasms and inclinations run 

[ 


Swift Camilla 

away with you, and you have no sense of mod- 
eration.” 

“ H’m,” said Patty, smiling; “now I’ve been 
lectured enough for one lesson, father dear. 
Save the rest for another day, and watch me 
whiz up this drive to the house like an expert.” 

She did so, and Nan, awaiting them, exclaimed 
with pride at Patty’s skilful driving. 

“Your turn now, Nan,” the girl called out; 
then, mindful of her promise, she looked at her 
watch. “ It’s just three,” she said. “ Let’s go 
over to the Arbutus Inn Tea Room, have a cup 
of tea, and get back home before six? How’s 
that, father? ” 

“ That’s all right, my good little girl. I don’t 
believe you’ll have any trouble running it, do 
you? ” 

“ No, indeed! It’s as easy as pie! I just love 
to run it.” 

Soon Nan was ready, and the two started off 
in great glee. 

“ I can hardly believe you really have the car, 
Patty; didn’t you learn to run it very quickly? ” 

“ Well, you see, I have driven cars before. 
Big ones, I mean. And this is different, but so 
much simpler, that it’s no trouble at all. Oh! 
Nan, isn’t the scenery gorgeous?” 

[ ”3] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Gorgeous wasn’t at all the right word, but a 
tamer one would not have suited Patty’s mood. 
They were rolling along the coast: on one side 
the ocean; on the other, an ever-changing pano- 
rama of seashore settlements with their hotels 
and cottages, interspersed with stretches of fine 
woods, or broad, level vistas with distant 
horizons. 

“ It’s beautiful, Patty. We’ll have a lovely 
time this summer.” 

“Yes; don’t let’s have too much company. 
I’d like to have Christine down for a few weeks, 
and of course Elise will make us a visit; but I 
don’t want that horde of boys.” 

“Why not?” asked Nan, in amazement, for 
Patty greatly enjoyed the boys’ calls in New 
York. 

“ Oh, I don’t know ! It’s so quiet and peace- 
ful, just with us; and, if they come, they’ll stir 
up picnics and dances and all sorts of things.” 

“ I know what’s the matter with you, Patty,” 
said Nan, laughing; “you’ve got automobile 
fever! You just want to ride and ride in this 
pretty car of yours, along these good roads, and 
just give yourself up to indolent enjoyment 
of it.” 

“ That’s just it! How did you know, Nan? ” 

[ ii4] 


Swift Camilla 


“ Oh, everybody feels that way when they first 
own a car. I’ve often noticed it. Sometimes 
they want to ride entirely alone, and just revel 
in automobility.” 

“Gracious, Nan! What a word! Well, I 
might want to go all alone once in a while; but 
usually I want some one to rave about it all 
with me.” 

“ Well, I’m ready to rave at any time. Isn’t 
that the Inn, off there to the right? ” 

“Yes, so it is. How quickly we’ve come! 
Nan, there’s a line of poetry in my mind, and I 
can’t think of it.” 

“ Oh, what a catastrophe ! Is it the only line 
you know? ” 

“ Don’t be silly. But, truly, I do want to think 
of it, for it’s about the name of this car.” 

“ Perhaps a cup of tea will quicken your wits.” 
“ Perhaps. Well, we’ll try. Jump out, Nan; 
here we are.” 

By a clever little contrivance, Patty could lock 
her car, and so feel sure it would not be tam- 
pered with. In a country place, like this some- 
what primitive roadhouse where they now were, 
this was a decided satisfaction. 

The Tea Room, though small, was dainty and 
attractive. It was kept by two pleasant-faced 
[ 115 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

spinsters, and, though their clientele was not 
large, they sometimes served guests at several 
tables. 

“ Only a little after four,” said Patty, looking 
at her watch. “ We can stay till five, Nan, and 
then get home by six.” 

“All right,” returned Nan, who was walking 
along the narrow garden paths, admiring the 
old-fashioned flowers and tiny box borders. 

Patty went into the little Inn, ordered tea and 
hot waffles and cakes, and then returned to 
Nan. 

“ It’s a dear little place,” she said. “ I’ve 
heard of it, but I’ve never been here before. 
Tea will be ready in twenty minutes.” 

When served, the little repast was delightful. 
Old-time silver and old-fashioned china made 
it all seem quaint and interesting. 

They dawdled over their tea, sometimes chat- 
ting, sometimes sitting silent. It was a bit of 
good fortune that these two were so congenial, 
for, Fate having thrown them together, they 
were much in each other’s company. As there 
was but six years’ difference in their ages, their 
relation was far more like sisters than like 
mother and daughter. And, though Nan never 
dictated to Patty, she taught her much by ex- 

[ n6] 


Swift Camilla 


ample, and, at the same time, she herself learned 
some things from her stepdaughter. 

“ S’pect we’d better move on, Nannie,” 
said Patty, at last, as it was nearly five. 
“ I’ll pay the reckoning for this feast, and 
then we’ll start. Oh, it has just come to 
me!” 

“What has?” 

“ That line of poetry that I couldn’t think of I 
This is it, ‘ When swift Camilla scours the 
plain.’ ” 

“Well, what of it?” 

“Why, it’s the name for my car! Swift Ca- 
milla! See?” 

“ A pretty name enough. But is she swift? ” 

“ I’ll speed her going home, and just show 
you ! ” 

“ Patty, don’t you dare! You know I’m only 
going to motor with you if you go with great 
moderation.” 

“ All right; I won’t scare you. But that’s her 
name, all the same.” 

Soon the Swift Camilla was once more skim- 
ming along the country roads. Patty went only 
at moderate speed, for she had no wish to 
frighten Nan, and, too, she had promised her 
father to be very careful. 

[ ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

They were about halfway home, when Patty 
saw a cow in the road ahead. 

“ I wish that old cow would get out of the 
way,” she said. “ A cow has no business to be 
in the middle of the road like that.” 

She slowed down, and the car crawled along 
behind the cow, but the indifferent animal paid 
no heed to the motor or the horn, and ambled 
along in mild indifference. 

“Oh, get out of the way! ” cried Patty, ex- 
asperatedly. Then, more coaxingly, “ Please, 
cow, nice cow, do get out of the way.” 

This brought no response, and Patty grew 
angry again. 

“Shoo! Cow! Shoo! Get out of the road! 

If you don’t, I’ll — I’ll ” But she could 

think of no direful deed that would affect the 
cow, so she paused. Then she resorted to sar- 
casm : “ A nice sort of cow you are, anyway ! 
Alone and unattended on a country road ! Why, 
anybody might kidnap you ! Where’s your cow- 
herd, or whatever you call him? ” 

“ Patty, don’t be silly,” said Nan, choking 
with laughter. “ Get out and chase the cow 
away. Hit her with a stick, or something. 
Throw a little stone at her, — just a very little 
one. Don’t hurt her! ” 

[n8] 


Swift Camilla 


Patty’s eyes grew round with horror. 

“ Why, Nan Fairfield, I’m more afraid of 
that cow than of all the automobiles in the 
world! I’m terribly afraid of cows! I’m more 
afraid of cows than of anything, except a 
mouse! But a mouse wouldn’t block up the 
road so dreadfully. Nan, you get out and chase 
the cow.” 

“ No, — no,” said Nan, shuddering. “ I’m 
afraid of cows, too. Patty, I’ll tell you what! 
Steer around the cow ! ” 

“ Just the thing! I believe there’s just about 
room enough. If she’ll only stay in the mid- 
dle, now. Which side do you think there’s more 
room, Nan? ” 

“ On the right. Go round her on the right.” 

There was plenty of room, and Patty steered 
carefully out toward the right, and passed the 
cow safely enough. 

“ Hurrah ! ” she cried, but she hurrahed a 
trifle too soon. 

As she directed her car back to the hard road, 
she discovered that she had sidetracked into a 
very sandy place. The front wheels of her 
car were all right, but the hind wheels were 
stuck in the sand, — one but a little, the other 
deeply. 


[ 119] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ Put on more speed! ” cried Nan. “ Hurry, 
before it sinks in deeper ! ” 

Patty put on more speed, which, contrary 
to her intent, made the hind wheels sink 
lower and lower in the soft sand. The car 
had stopped, and no effort of Patty’s could 
start it. 

She looked at Nan with a comical smile. 

“ Adventure No. i ! ” she said. “ Oh, Nan, 
we can’t get home by six! Indeed, I don’t see 
how we can ever get home.” 

“Are you frightened, Patty?” 

“No; there’s nothing to be frightened about. 
But I’m — well, hopping mad just about ex- 
presses my feelings! You see, Nan, it’s like a 
quicksand; the more we struggle to get out, the 
deeper we get in.” 

“ H’m; what are you going to do? ” 

“Just plain nothing, my lady; for the simple 
reason that there’s nothing to do.” 

“ And do you propose to sit here all night? ” 

“ That’s as Fate wills it ! Do you suppose 
father will come to look for us, — say, along to- 
ward midnight?” 

“ Patty, don’t be a goose ! Fred will be scared 
to death ! ” 

“Because I’m a goose? Oh, no! he knows I 

[ 120] 


Swift Camilla 


am, already. But, Nan, I’ve an idea. If I were 
only strong enough, — or if you were, — we could 
lift out one of those fence rails, and stick it in 
the sand in front of that deepest wheel, and get 
her out.” 

“ Patty, how clever you are ! How do you 
know that? ” 

“ Oh, I know it well enough. My general 
gumption tells me it. But, — we’re neither of us 
strong enough to boost it out of the fence and 
under the wheel in the right way.” 

“ But we might do it together.” 

“ We might try. Come on, Nan, let’s make 
the effort. Bother that old cow, anyway ! But 
for her, we’d be almost home now.” 

They got out of the car, and, with plucky ef- 
fort, tried to dislodge a fence rail. But it was 
a fairly new and a well-made fence, and the 
rails would not come out easily. They tried one 
after another, but with no success. 

“ Well, Nan, here’s my only solution to this 
perplexing situation. We can’t sit here and let 
father lose his mind worrying about it, and 
thinking we’re ground under our own chariot 
wheels. So one of us must stay here with the 
car, and the other walk home and tell him 
about it.” 


[ 121 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“Walk home! Why, Patty, it must be five 
miles ! ” 

“ I daresay it is, and I’d just as lieve walk it, 
but I hate to leave you here alone. So you can 
take your choice, and I’ll take the other.” 

“ But, Patty, that’s absurd! Why not let one 
of us walk to some nearby house and ask for 
help?” 

“ Capital idea, but where’s the nearby house? 
There’s none in sight.” 

“ No, but there must be one nearer than 
home.” 

“Yes; and, when you go trailing off to look 
for it, you’ll get lost. Better go straight home, 
Nan.” 

“ And leave you here alone? I won’t do it! ” 

“ Then there seems to be a deadlock. Oh, hey ! 
Hi ! Mister ! ! I say ! Whoo-oo-ee ! ” 

Nan turned, frightened at Patty’s hullabaloo, 
to see a man just disappearing round a fork in 
the road. He had not seen them, and, unless 
Patty’s quick eyes had spied him, and her sud- 
den call had reached his ears, he would have 
been gone in a moment. As it was, he turned, 
stared at them, and then came slowly over to 
them. He was a rough, but not unkindly-look- 
ing fellow, probably a farm labourer, and ap- 

[ 122 ] 


Swift Camilla 

parently a foreigner. He spoke no English, but 
Patty made him understand by gestures what 
she wanted him to do. A look of admiration 
came into his stolid eyes, at the idea of Patty 
knowing enough to use the fence rail, and his 
powerful strength soon removed a rail, and 
placed it endwise under the wheel of the cap- 
tive car. Another was placed under the other 
hind wheel, and, after much endeavour and 
slipping and coaxing, the car was once again 
freed from the sand, and stood proudly on the 
hard road. 

Patty thanked the man prettily, and, though 
he couldn’t understand a word, he understood 
her grateful smiles. More clearly, perhaps, he 
understood a banknote, which she drew from 
her purse and gave him, and, with a grateful, 
if uncouth bow of his awkward head, he trudged 
away. 

Patty started her car, and soon, at a good rate 
of speed, they were flying along in the gather- 
ing dusk. 


[ 123 ] 


CHAPTER IX 


MONA AT HOME 

W HEN they reached home it was really 
after dark, and Patty was prepared 
for an expected reproof. But Mr. 
Fairfield came out smilingly to meet them. 

“ Accident No. i ? ” he asked. “ What was 
it? Power gave out, punctured tire, or mis- 
judged distance? ” 

“None of those,” cried Patty, gaily; “but it 
was a real accident, and a real unavoidable and 
unforeseeable one! ” 

“Oh, of course!” chaffed her father; “acci- 
dents are always unavoidable, and never the 
fault of the person driving! ” 

“ I’m glad you’ve learned that,” said Patty, 
saucily, “ for, if you have that theory firmly 
fixed in your mind, you have learned the main 
principle of motor adventures ! ” 

And then the three sat down on the veranda, 
and Patty and Nan detailed the whole expe- 
rience to Mr. Fairfield. 

“ You were certainly in no way to blame, 

1 124] 


Mona at Home 


Patty,” he said, heartily, “ for, of course, you’ve 
had no experience with sand, and had no rea- 
son to suspect that the wheels would sink. But 
you’ve learned the lesson, and now that par- 
ticular trouble is not likely to occur again, 
for you will remember to stick to the hard 
roads.” 

“ But, you see, the particular trouble was really 
the cow, and, of course, she’s likely to occur 
again at any time.” 

“ Then the only remedy that I can suggest is 

to have a cow-catcher built on the front of your 

__ „ 

car. 

“ No; I’m not going to spoil the perfect lines 
of my beautiful Camilla by any unsightly de- 
vice. You see, father, the lines of that car 
are simply perfect. I know this, because it says 
so in the booklet the company gave me. And 
it speaks quite highly of the car’s various points, 
and accessories, and really goes so far as to 
state that it is superior to any other car in the 
market ! And the longer I use it, the more fully 
I agree with the booklet.” 

“ I’m glad your long experience justifies the 
company’s claims. Have you named the car 
Camilla?” 

“ Yes, because she scours the plain; don’t you 

[125] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

remember how swift Camilla scoured the 
plain?” 

“ Yes, I remember, but it seems a more ap- 
propriate name for some patent cleaning pow- 
der.” 

“Nonsense, daddy! Have you no poetry or 
romance in your soul? Swift Camilla is a lovely 
name for my car, and I mean to scour the plain 
for miles around. Come on, Nan, let’s go and 
tidy up for dinner. It’s getting late.” 

“ It is so,” said her father, “ and, though I 
sha’n’t be too severe with you this time, I must 
mildly repeat that I want you hereafter to get 
home from your scouring expeditions before 
dark.” 

“Sure!” cried Patty, gaily, blowing him a 
kiss from the tips of her fingers as she ran 
away. 

The days flew by, and, as the weather was al- 
most always fine, Patty went scouring with Ca- 
milla every day. Sometimes she took Nan, 
sometimes her father, and sometimes she went 
all alone for short drives up and down the coast. 
She had no trouble with the car’s mechanism, 
for it was really of superior make, and its man- 
agement was simple. But one afternoon, when 
[ 126] 


Mona at Home 

she asked Nan to go for a little spin, Nan re- 
plied: “ I will later, Patty, but first I think we 
ought to go and call on Miss Galbraith. It is 
more than a week since she was here, and, 
in common courtesy, we ought to return her 
call.” 

“ But I don’t like her, and I don’t want to 
go to see her,” declared Patty, a little petulantly. 

“Don’t act like an infant! Your not liking 
her has nothing to do with the case. We’ve 
had other calls down here, and we’ve returned 
them properly; now this is a social duty that 
must be attended to, so come along.” 

“Oh, Nan, you go without me! Make ex- 
cuses for me, can’t you? ” 

“ No, I can’t; and I won’t! So go and put on 
a pretty frock and come right along. We 
needn’t stay long, and we can go for a short 
motor ride after.” 

So Patty went away to dress, for she realised 
that she must go, however unwillingly. She put 
on a pretty calling costume of white serge, with 
black velvet collar and cuffs, and a large black 
hat. 

“ You look lovely,” said Nan, as Patty joined 
her in the hall. 

“ Yes, I like this frock,” said Patty, “ but I’m 
[ 127 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

sure Miss Galbraith won’t; you know, her taste 
runs to more elaborate costumes.” 

“ Oh, well, you can’t expect to suit everybody! 
Come along.” 

Nan herself was in pale-grey cloth, with hat 
to match, and the two strolled along the short 
distance to “ Red Chimneys,” which they had 
learned was the name of the Galbraith home. 

They turned in at the entrance gate, and saw 
a large and massive stone house, with many red 
chimneys. It was a handsome building, but 
over-ornate in its architecture and decoration. 

“ Looks exactly like Mona,” said Patty, as 
they drew near. “ It’s just a mass of heavy 
embroidery ! ” 

A footman answered their ring, and, taking 
their cards on his silver tray, ushered them into 
a drawing-room, and departed. 

There was a rather long interval before Miss 
Galbraith appeared, and Patty fidgeted. The 
golden hours of her afternoon were slipping 
away, and she was impatient to go out with 
Camilla. 

But presently Mona Galbraith came down- 
stairs, and greeted them effusively. As she had 
been when they saw her before, she was over- 
dressed and over-jewelled. She wore a house 
[128] 


Mona at Home 

dress of blue satin, but so bef rilled and bedecked 
with jabots of lace that it was not only unbeau- 
tiful, but no way did it resemble the accepted 
fashion of the day. An expensive and compli- 
cated necklace of turquoises surmounted the blue 
satin, and large-headed pins of the same blue 
stone adorned the piled-up masses of hair. 

Patty’s secret impulse was one of regret that 
a fairly pretty girl could make such a dowdy 
of herself, and she resolved, if ever they became 
sufficiently well acquainted, she would try to 
tone down Miss Galbraith’s frantic wardrobe. 

“ I’m so glad to see you,” their hostess said, 
“ and, if you hadn’t come to-day, I was going 
straight over to your house to tell you what I 
thought of you ! Oh, you naughty people, to 
keep me waiting so long ! Why didn’t you come 
sooner? ” 

“ Oh there’s been much to do,” said Nan, 
“ fitting ourselves into our new home; and, too, 
I think we’re fairly prompt returning your 
call.” 

“ Oh, we mustn’t make calls and return calls; 
that’s too formal. We’re neighbours, you 
know, and we must just run in and out without 
ceremony. Don’t you think so, Miss Fairfield? 
Or, mayn’t I call you Patty? Please let me.” 

[ 129] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Patty was good-natured and kind-hearted, but 
she began to think that Miss Galbraith’s unwel- 
comed familiarity must be checked. 

“ Isn’t it a little soon for first names, Miss Gal- 
braith? ” she asked, with a merry smile that 
took the rudeness from her question. “ I like 
to win my friendships by degrees, and not jump 
into them suddenly.” 

But Miss Galbraith was not so easily baffled. 
“Oh, are you like that?” she said. “Now 
I’m just the opposite ! I know at once if I like 
anybody, and I do like you, and so I’m going to 
call you Patty. Of course, if you’re so cautious 
about making friends, you’ll have to adopt me 
more slowly. But I’ll warrant it won’t be long 
before you’ll call me Mona in spite of yourself. 
And you, too, Mrs. Fairfield,” she added, turn- 
ing to Nan. 

Patty gasped, for she almost thought the for- 
ward girl was going to call Nan by her first 
name, but Mona did not go quite so far as 
that. 

“ You have a beautiful home here,” said Nan, 
in order to change the subject. “ Have you 
lived here long? ” 

“This is the fourth summer,” said Mona; 
“ my father built it, and he said he didn’t care 

[ 130] 


Mona at Home 


what it cost, if only it was the most expensive 
house at Spring Beach.” 

“ I fancy he achieved his desire,’’ said Nan, 
politely. 

“Oh, yes, indeed! There’s no other house 
been put up yet that cost nearly as much, and 
I don’t believe there will be.” 

“ Probably not,” said Patty. “ But it seems 
large for only two of you.” 

“Yes, but we have a great many servants; 
and, then, we like to have company. We invite 
a great deal of company, though they don’t al- 
ways come. It’s strange how few people enjoy 
the seashore.” 

Patty privately thought that there might be 
other reasons for the guests’ refusals than a dis- 
like for the seashore, but she only said, “ Yes, 
I like to have company, too; but I’m never 
lonely, even if I’m entirely alone.” 

“ Yes, I can see that’s your disposition, — sun- 
shiny and sweet always. Oh, I’m so glad you’ve 
come to Spring Beach ! I’ve wanted just such a 
friend.” 

As Patty said afterward, she felt herself be- 
ing drawn into a net, from which there seemed 
to be no' escape. But she determined to make 
one more effort. 


[ I3i ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ I don’t want to seem ungrateful,” she said, 
“ but, to tell the truth, I’m not very sociable.” 
Then, like a flash, she realised that this was 
not true, and endeavoured to amend it. “ I 
mean,” she went on, “ in the summer time, when 
I’m away from home. That is, — don’t you 
know, — I think one likes a sort of vacation from 
society during the summer; don’t you? ” 

“ Oh, yes ! But, of course, the social doings 
down here are not like those in the city. I’m 
not much in society down here, myself; so we 
can have real good times with each other, and 
give society the go-by.” 

Patty gave up in despair. She couldn’t make 
this girl understand that she did not desire her 
intimate friendship, without being positively 
rude; and, though of an independent nature, 
Patty was always unwilling to hurt the feelings 
of others. 

But very soon Nan rose to take leave, and the 
call was over. 

“What can I do?” exclaimed Patty, as they 
were safely out of hearing distance of “ Red 
Chimneys.” “That girl is the limit! She’ll 
be over to our house all the time, if I don’t do 
something to stop her! ” 

“Oh, don’t take it too seriously!” advised 
[ !32 ] 


Mona at Home 


Nan. “ Sometimes these troubles that loom up 
so darkly fade away of themselves.” 

“She won’t fade away,” declared Patty; 
“Mona is no fader! But some day I shall 
take her out in my motor car, way, way out 
beyond civilisation, and come back without 
her! ” 

“ That’s a splendid plan! ” said Nan, approv- 
ingly; “practical, sensible, and easily carried 
out!” 

“ Yes, isn’t it,” said Patty, grinning. And 
then they were at “ The Pebbles ” again, and 
were soon arrayed in their motor toggery, and 
starting away in the Swift Camilla. 

“Which way?” asked Patty, as she grasped 
the steering bar. 

“Straight along the coast,” answered Nan; 
“ the ocean is so beautiful to-day, I don’t want 
to get out of sight of it.” 

“All right, here we go;” and Patty headed 
the car south along the fine, continuous shore 
drive. 

“ Nan,” she observed, as they flew along, “ do 
you happen to know of any remarkable, im- 
portant, and very-much-to-be-celebrated day that 
is going to occur soon? ” 

“Day?” repeated Nan, looking blank, — so 
[ 133 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

exceedingly blank that it seemed an assumed 
expression. 

“Yes, day! A day , — one day, — an especial 
day! Do try to think. It may occur next 
week! ” 

“ Let me see,” said Nan, in a deeply thought- 
ful tone, “ this is May, — so you can’t mean 
Washington’s Birthday or Lincoln’s Birthday.” 

“No! nor Christmas Day, nor St. Patrick’s 
Day in the Morning! But, all the same, it’s 
one of the most important dates in the annals 
of Time, and I’ll give you one more chance to 
save your reputation by guessing what it is, be- 
fore I tell you.” 

“ Well, of course I have no idea when it oc- 
curs, but, if I’m merely guessing, I’ll guess that 
you refer to Mona Galbraith’s birthday.” 

“Oh, Nan! you are too exasperating! An- 
other speech like that and I’ll put you out of 
this car and let you walk home ! Now the oc- 
casion to which I refer, and which you know 
well enough, only you think it’s roguish to pre- 
tend you don’t, is the birthday of one Miss 
Patricia Fairfield! a clever and charming young 
girl, who will on that day achieve the dignity 
of being nineteen years old! ” 

“ Why, sure enough, it will be your birthday 
[ 134 ] 


Mona at Home 


soon, won’t it?” exclaimed Nan, in affected 
surprise, which by no means deceived Patty. 

“ Yes, and what are you going to do about 
it?” 

“ Well, you ask me so suddenly, I scarce know 
what to say! What do you want done? ” 

“ Well, you ask me suddenly, too, but I know 
exactly what to say! I want a celebration of 
the event.” 

“ Oh, you do ! brass band, and torch-light 
parade? ” 

“ Not exactly that, but something just as good. 
I want a house-party, — quite a large one, — to 
come the day before the birthday, and stay sev- 
eral days after, and celebrate all the time.” 

“You’re so modest in your demands, Patty! 
Why don’t you have something really worth 
while?” 

“Don’t be sarcastic, Nan; you’re top pretty 
to say such things ! Now take a deep interest in 
my plans, won’t you, and help me decide 
things? ” 

“ All right, Patty, I will, indeed. But I 
thought you didn’t want company down here, 
especially the boys, because you wanted to en- 
joy your scouring the plain, all alone.” 

“ Well, I did feel that way for a time, but Pm 
[ 135 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

getting over it. Anyway, I want to try having 
company, and, if I don’t like it, I’ll try solitude 
again. Now you see, Nan, my birthday is next 
week, Thursday. I’d like to ask the people to 
come Wednesday, and then stay over the week- 
end.” 

“ All right, Patty, I’ll do all I can to make 
it pleasant for you. But, you know, we have 
only four guest rooms. How big did you mean 
your house party to be?” 

“ Well, of course the two Farringtons and 
Christine and Kenneth would be about all we 
could accommodate. Then I thought, if Mr. 
Hepworth and Mr. Van Reypen cared to come, 
they could stay at the hotel.” 

“ It doesn’t seem very hospitable to invite 
them that way,” said Nan, demurring. 

“ Then they’ll have to stay home,” said Patty, 
cheerfully, “ for, as you say, we have only the 
four rooms to give them. I thought our house 
was large, but it doesn’t seem so when you be- 
gin to invite guests.” 

“ Well, we’ll see about it,” said Nan. 


[ 136 ] 


CHAPTER X 


THE COURTESY OF THE ROAD 

T HAT evening they discussed the project 
with Mr. Fairfield. 

“ I heartily approve of the plan,” he 
said. “ It’s time we had some young life down 
here to stir Patty up. She’s getting too senti- 
mental from gazing at the sea and sky. And 
I think it will be quite all right to invite two 
of the men to lodge at the hotel. They can 
come over here for all their meals, and so they 
will practically be part of the house party. But, 
Patty, are you sure you want this house party 
for several days? You may find it more of a 
burden than you think, to entertain guests so 
long.” 

“Oh, they’re not formal guests; it’s just a 
young people’s frolic. We’ll go motoring and 
swimming and picnicking just as we like. But, 
of course, on my birthday I shall have a party, — 
a real party.” 

“ You don’t know enough people down here 
to make an evening party,” said Nan. 

1 137 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ Oh, well, I know several,” said Patty; “ and 
if we have eight or ten in the house, and get 
eight or ten more from among the Spring Beach 
cottagers, that will be enough for a small 
dance.” 

“ And there’s Mona,” put in her father, mis- 
chievously. 

“ Oh, Mona! Pm not going to ask her! ” 

“ Why, Patty,” said Nan, “ you’ll have to ask 
her, — your very next neighbour!” 

“ No, I won’t have to, either ! Pm not going 
to spoil my whole birthday just because she hap- 
pens to live next-door to me!” 

“ Patty,” said her father, “ I think you must 
be a little more generous in your attitude toward 
that girl. You may not like her altogether, 
but you must be kind and polite to her, because, 
in a country place like this, we do owe a certain 
duty to our neighbours such as is never recog- 
nised in New York. And I want you to grow 
up an unselfish, generous woman, who would 
sacrifice her own feelings to those of her neigh- 
bour.” 

“ Of course you’re right, fathery, and I will 
try to conquer my dislike for that girl. But 
you know what she is.” 

“ Yes, I know what she is; she is uncongenial, 
[ 138 ] 


The Courtesy of the Road 

and her manner irritates you. But there must 
be some good in her, Patty, and suppose you 
set yourself to work to find it.” 

“ All right, daddy, I’ll go you ; but won’t you 
please let me wait until after my birthday is 
over? ” 

/‘No, child; I quite agree with Nan that you 
must invite Miss Mona to your party: that is, 
if you invite other cottagers. If you have only 
your own house party, of course you needn’t ask 
her.” 

“ Well, then, I won’t ever ask her over here 
while the house party is on, except the night of 
my birthday, when I have the dance.” 

“ It may not be necessary to invite her,” said 
Nan, smiling; “she’ll very likely invite her- 
self.” 

“ Well, we’ll hope she won’t,” said Patty, with 
a little sigh. “ Now I’ll write to the others 
to-night, and I hope they can all come. I think 
they all will, unless maybe Christine will think 
she cannot leave her work. But I’ll urge her 
to come for a few days, anyway.” 

Patty went off to the library to write her notes, 
and so interested did she become in her party, 
and her plans for her birthday celebration, that 
she quite forgot her unpleasant and unwelcome 
[ 139 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

neighbour. Nor did she think of her again 
until the next afternoon, when, as she swung in 
a hammock on the front veranda, she saw Mona 
Galbraith come walking up the drive. 

“ Here you are, Patty,” called out the hearty 
and irrepressible voice of her neighbour; “ I 
hoped I’d find you at home. I felt sort of 
lonely, and I said to myself I’ll just run over 
to Patty’s, and perhaps, if I ask her very pret- 
tily, she’ll give me a ride in that little gem of a 
motor car that she runs so well.” 

Patty arose from the hammock, politely hiding 
her annoyance at Mona’s arrival, and said : 
“How do you do, Miss Galbraith? Sit down, 
won’t you? I’m not sure that I’m going to 
have the car out this afternoon.” 

“ Oh, that’s all right; never mind. Don’t get 
it out purposely for me. I’ll sit here and chat 
this afternoon, and we can take the ride to- 
morrow.” 

So Patty saw at once that she must either take 
her visitor motoring that afternoon, or merely 
defer the occasion, in which case she would have 
her on her hands for the rest of the afternoon, 
anyway. Of the two evils she concluded to 
choose the less. And she also concluded that, as 
her father had requested, she would be pleasant 
[ HO] 


The Courtesy of the Road 

to this girl, and try to find some likable quali- 
ties in her. 

So it was with a shade more cordiality that 
she said: “ Oh, yes, we can just as well go this 
afternoon as any other! It’s a good day, ex- 
cept that there’s a pretty stiff breeze blowing. 
Are you dressed to go ? ” 

“ Oh, yes, this gown is all right, and you can 
lend me a hood and cloak or something. Haven’t 
you extra ones?” 

“ Yes, of course,” said Patty, wondering if this 
girl had no idea of social formalities. “ But 
perhaps she never had anybody to teach her 
things,” thought Patty, who, now that she was 
trying to be generous-minded toward Mona, 
found it easier than she had thought. 

Patty rang for Miller, and ordered the car; 
then she asked Mona to come into the house, 
that she might fit her out with proper wraps. 
It was a warm, pleasant day, so a dust cloak of 
Nan’s, and a silk hood belonging to that same 
amiable lady, were borrowed for Miss Gal- 
braith’s use. 

“ Of course I have all these things at 
home,” she said, as she tied the ribbons under 
her chin ; and Patty wanted to say, “ Why don’t 
you go and get them, then? ” but she well knew 
[ Hi ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

it was because of Mona’s unwarranted feeling 
of intimacy in the Fairfield household that she 
borrowed their wraps instead of going for her 
own. 

This whole principle was foreign to Patty’s 
nature. Systematic and methodical herself, she 
always used her own belongings, and never 
would have dreamed of borrowing those of an- 
other, unless through sheer necessity. 

“ There’s one thing,” she thought to herself, 
“ if I give her this ride and get it over with, 
she may keep away while those other people are 
here. I must be careful not to let her know they 
are coming.” 

The car was at the door and they were soon 
started. Patty determined to be kind and pleas- 
ant to her guest, but to avoid personalities, and 
to say nothing which could be construed as an 
invitation to further acquaintance. 

One point she conceded, however, and con- 
cluded to call Miss Galbraith by her first name. 
This she did, only because Mona persisted in 
calling her Patty, and it sounded so purposely 
stilted and ungracious to persist in saying Miss 
Galbraith. 

Patty asked her guest to choose the road they 
should take, and was surprised to find that 
[ M2 ] 


The Courtesy of the Road 

Mona knew of a great many lovely drives 
which Patty had not yet discovered. Though, 
of course, it was not surprising, as Mona had 
spent four summers at Spring Beach, and it was 
Patty’s first one. 

Mona chose a route called the Blue Lake 
Drive, which took them through a lovely stretch 
of pine woods, and out into an orchard-dotted 
country, the goal being a small and very blue 
lake. On the shore was a tiny Tea House, 
which proved a pleasant resting-place for a half- 
hour. 

The girls sat sipping tea and eating crumpets, 
and Patty began to think that Mona was not 
nearly as unlikable as she had thought. Her 
shortcomings were more those of an impulsive 
and untrained nature than any more serious 
faults. She was well educated and well read, 
and Patty found that they had many favourite 
books and authors in common. But she was 
pushing, and she continually asserted her inten- 
tion of being Patty’s intimate friend, until 
Patty lost her patience and broke out, rather 
sharply. 

“ Look here, Mona,” she said, “ I like you, 
or at least I think Pm going to like you, but 
I won’t be pushed or pulled into a friendship 
[ 143 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

so suddenly. You don’t know me at all, but 
once in a while I have a way of speaking my 
mind right straight out, and I tell you frankly 
that, if you want to be friends with me, you’ll 
upset the whole kettle of fish by rushing it too 
hard!” 

Mona looked utterly amazed. “ What are you 
talking about?” she said. “Do you call me 
pushing? ” 

“I do that!” declared Patty; “just exactly 
that ! and you know it as well as I do ! I 
shouldn’t talk to anybody like this on such short 
acquaintance, but you brought it on yourself, 
and, if you want to get angry, you may! ” 

“ Angry! ” echoed Mona. “ Why, I like you 
all the better for such straightforward talk! 
I’m sorry I seem pushing, but, — well, — ‘ you 
brought it on yourself ’ ! ” 

Patty had to laugh at this, for it was really 
a subtle compliment to her own attractiveness. 
Also, she decided she could do little by scold- 
ing Mona. So she began to talk of other 
things, leaving the question of friendship to 
be settled some other time. 

Soon they started homeward again, for, as 
Patty explained to her guest, she was under 
promise to get home before dark. 

[ 144 ] 


The Courtesy of the Road 

“ How beautifully your car runs,” said Mona, 
as they skimmed smoothly along. “ Do you 
never have an accident?” 

“ Nothing of any account,” returned Patty, 
and then she told Mona of the day when her 
wheels got stuck in the sand. “ But I have 
never had anything more serious than that,” 
she went on, “ and I hope I never shall. Have 
you never run a car yourself? ” 

“ No, it never occurred to me to do so. We 
have several cars, of course, and lots of 
chauffeurs and grooms, but only since Fve seen 
you in your car have I thought of driving one 
myself. But I’m going to; I’ve already asked 
father to get me one exactly like this.” 

“Will he do it?” 

“ Of course ; he gets me anything I want. And 
when I get it, Patty, we can go out together in 
our two cars. Won’t that be fun?” 

“ H’m, h’m ! ” murmured Patty, who wasn’t 
overjoyed at the proposition. “Gracious! 
what’s the matter?” 

“ Oh, my ! what is the matter? Did something 
burst?” 

“ It did so,” said Patty, cheerfully; “ the inner 
tube of this front wheel has burst, and now, if 
you want to see a successful imitation of a young 

[H5] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

lady mending her own motor car, just watch me 
while I get out my little kit of tools, and put 
my reserve tube in place of this burst one.” 

“Can you do it yourself?” enquired Mona, 
with a look of surprised admiration. “ I didn’t 
know a girl could do things like that! ” 

“ This girl can,” returned Patty, opening her 
tool-box with a capable air. But the next mo- 
ment her capable air completely vanished, and 
she turned to Mona with a comical expression of 
dismay. “What do you think?” she said. 
“ I’m always so careful to have my car and my 
tools and my accessories all in perfect order, 
and now see what’s happened ! I had this same 
experience the other day. The inner tube burst, 
and I put in my reserve tube and then I put 
the burst tube away in my kit, and here it is 
yet. I utterly forgot to have it replaced by a 
new one ! ” 

“ Oh, then the reserve tube that you want to 
put in is as burst as that one you have just taken 
out ! ” 

“You’ve struck it right! that’s the situation. 
Now what’s the solution? There isn’t any an- 
swer! ” 

“ Then, what do we do? ” asked Mona, look- 
ing scared. 


[H6] 



“That would be the nicest thing you could do 
forme” (p a g e 65) 





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The Courtesy of the Road 

“ Oh, we just sit here,” said Patty, returning 
to her seat in the runabout. “ It isn’t a ques- 
tion of doing anything, because we can’t do any- 
thing. We can sit here, or we can walk home. 
Or, rather, you can walk home, if you want to. 
I sha’n’t leave my car, if I sit here all night.” 

“ And I sha’n’t leave you, if we sit here all 
night! But if I can walk anywhere, and get 
assistance for you, I’ll gladly do so.” 

“ Mona, you’re a good deal of a trump,” said 
Patty, looking into the girl’s earnest face; “ but 
I don’t know of any place you could get assist- 
ance nearer than home, and that’s ten miles 
away. You see, Mona, when motor cars do 
break down, they invariably choose a place far 
away from any garage or repair shop. The 
farther away it is, the better the car likes it. 
Can’t you hear Camilla chuckling at our dis- 
comfiture? ” 

“How can you joke, Patty? I think it’s 
awful! What can we do?” 

“ We can’t do anything, but, if we’re patient, 
some one may come along who can help us. You 
know, there’s a certain courtesy of the road 
among motorists that makes them help each 
other whenever they can. At least, this cour- 
tesy is said to exist, but I’ve never seen much 
[ 147 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

of it, myself. However, I’ve had very few oc- 
casions to desire it. Now we’ll sit and wait for 
courtesy.” 

Nor did they wait long. Very soon a good- 
sized motor came by, and the polite driver of 
it stopped and asked the girls if he could be 
of any assistance. 

Patty liked his quiet, courteous manner, and 
she explained her difficulty. 

But the man, though willing, was unable to 
help her, for his tires were not the same size 
as those on Patty’s ear. He would have been 
glad, he said, to tow her car, but he was going 
in the other direction. So Patty thanked him 
for his interest in the matter, and he went on 
his way. 

“ Now, you see,” observed Patty, “ that there 
is a courtesy of the road. I’ve no doubt some 
more courtesy will come along soon, and we’ll 
get fixed up somehow.” 

But courtesy seemed to be scant that afternoon, 
for half a dozen cars, both large and small, 
whizzed past them apparently without notic- 
ing their plight. 

At last, however, a man came by alone in 
a small electric runabout, not unlike Patty’s 
own. 


[148] 


The Courtesy of the Road 

“ Hi ! there ! ” he called out, “ you in trouble? ” 

Patty did not like his mode of address, nor did 
she like the looks of the man himself. And 
even though she greatly desired his help, and 
felt sure that he might have a reserve inner tube 
which would fit her tire, she hesitated to ask 
him for it, as she so distrusted and disliked his 
general appearance. He looked good-natured, 
but he did not look to be a man of refinement. 
But while she hesitated, Mona, greatly to 
Patty’s surprise, took the situation in hand, and 
called back to the man: “ Yes, we’re in a dread- 
ful fix! Can’t you help us out?” 

“ You bet I can! ” cried the man, and, spring- 
ing from his own car, he came over to Patty’s 
side. 

“ What’s wrong, little one? ” he said, looking 
boldly into Patty’s face. 

Patty was thoroughly annoyed at his manner, 
but now that things had gone so far, of course 
she must carry it through. Sitting up very 
straight, and assuming an air of severe dignity, 
she said: “ The inner tube of a front wheel has 
burst, and I have no good one with which to 
replace it. If you have one you could spare, I 
should be glad to have it, and I will send you 
a duplicate one, if you will give me your ad- 
[ 149 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

dress, or my father will send you a cheque for 
the price of if.” 

The man looked at Patty and smiled. “You 
needn’t be so crusty about it,” he said; “the 
other young miss ain’t so crusty.” 

Patty was becoming a little frightened. The 
man was so easy-mannered, and, though she felt 
sure she could manage all right by herself, she 
had a fear that Mona might say something fool- 
ish at any moment. 

“ I don’t mean to be crusty,” said Patty, smil- 
ing pleasantly, but without friendliness. “ Pm 
simply asking the courtesy of the road from a 
fellow-motorist, and I feel sure, if you can, you 
will give it to me.” 

The man backed away a little and looked at 
Patty with unmistakable admiration. “ Well, I 
just guess I will! ” he replied, and went straight 
to his own tool-box for implements. 

Patty took this opportunity to whisper to 
Mona, “ Don’t you say another word to him ! 
You mustn’t speak to strangers so familiarly. 
You came near making serious trouble for 
us!” 

Now Mona was of such a peculiar disposi- 
tion that, instead of realising the truth of 
Patty’s words, she became incensed at the idea 
[ 150 ] 


The Courtesy of the Road 

of being scolded, and made no reply, save to 
pout her lips and assume a very angry expres- 
sion of countenance. 

The man returned from his own car, and in 
a short time had inserted a new inner tube, and 
Camilla was in perfect order for a fresh start. 

“ I thank you very much,” said Patty, with 
a calm, gracious politeness; “ and, if you’ll give 
me your card, or your address, my father will 
send you a cheque for the tire, and a note of 
thanks for your kindness to his daughter.” 

“ ’Taint worth mentioning,” said the man, 
looking a little sheepish before Patty’s courteous 
dignity; “ and I haven’t a card, but here’s my 
name, and I’ll be glad to hear from your father, 
miss.” 

He scribbled on a bit of paper and gave the 
address to Patty, who put it in her cardcase, 
and, bowing civilly to the man, she started her 
car and drove swiftly away. 


[Hi] 


CHAPTER XI 


THE FIRST ARRIVALS 

“It /FONA,” said Patty, severely, as they 
Vr I drove along, “ you ought to know bet- 
ter than to talk to a strange man in 
that familiar way! He wasn’t a nice man at 
all.” 

“ Well, he helped us out of our difficulty.” 

“ Yes, and he’ll be paid for it. But there was 
no occasion to talk to him as you would to an 
acquaintance.” 

“ Oh, I’m not so awful stuck-up as all 
that!” 

“It isn’t a question of stuck-upness! Or, if 
you do call it that, it was just the time to be 
stuck-up. Proper civility is all very well, but 
you needn’t be chummy with a stranger. And 
I give you fair warning, Mona, that, if you 
want to be friends with me, you must never do 
that sort of thing again.” 

“ I do want to be friends with you, Patty, and 
I think I see what you mean now, but I didn’t 
think I was doing any harm. I’m glad to have 
[ J 52 ] 


The First Arrivals 

you scold me, Patty, for I do want to do what’s 
right. You see, I never had much bringing-up. 
My mother died when I was a little girl, and 
since then father has indulged me in everything 
I wanted, but I’ve really had none of what you 
may call social training.” 

Patty was amazed at the sudden humility of 
the girl whom she had considered arrogant and 
self-satisfied. She began to think that she might 
do a good work in teaching Mona some things 
of which she seemed to have no idea, but which 
came to Patty by instinct. 

“ My mother died when I was very little, too,” 
she said; “but I think my father brought me 
up as well as any woman could have done. And, 
then, I have the dearest stepmother. She’s just 
the perfection of all that’s sweet and gentle and 
refined.” 

“ You’re a lucky girl, Patty, and I envy you.” 

“Now, that’s silly! You’re a lucky girl to 
have such an indulgent father, and oceans of 
money, and freedom to do exactly as you 
choose. Why, you have all sorts of possibili- 
ties, Mona. You could make yourself anything 
you want to.” 

“ Will you help me, Patty? ” 

“ Why, yes, as far as I can.” Though Patty 
[ 153 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

felt kindly disposed toward the girl, and wanted 
to help her, she didn’t care to take the entire 
responsibility of shaping her future, and she 
knew Mona’s pushing spirit would demand this, 
if given a chance. So she dropped the subject 
for the present, and they chatted gaily of all 
sorts of things. And, when at last Patty set 
Mona down at her own door, she had not men- 
tioned the subject of her birthday, or said that 
she was expecting a house party of young people 
to visit her. 

On reaching her own home, Patty related to 
her father and Nan the experience she had had. 

“ You did exactly right, Patty, girl,” said her 
father, “ and I will send the man a cheque for 
the tube, and a letter of thanks for his kind- 
ness to my daughter, just as you told him I 
would do. Pm surprised that Mona should 
have acted as she did, for I supposed any young 
girl of the present day would know better than 
to speak familiarly to a stranger.” 

“ It wasn’t so much what she said, father, as 
her gay and easy manner, and the way she smiled 
at him. She showed no reserve or dignity.” 

“ Yes, I understand, and I am glad you re- 
proved her. You may do her some good, Patty, 
by your influence and example.” 

[ 154] 


S, 

The First Arrivals 

Patty sighed a little. “ I’m willing to help 
her, but I don’t want to take the whole burden 
of her social education on my shoulders.” 

“ Patty,” laughed Nan, a don’t take it so seri- 
ously. You’re not employed as nursery gov- 
erness at ‘ Red Chimneys ’ yet, and the few oc- 
casions when you have opportunity to drop a 
good seed on Mona Galbraith’s thorny soil, it 
won’t hurt you a bit to do it.” 

“Hurray for Nan!” cried Patty; “she al- 
ways hits the nail on the head and rings the 
bull’s-eye! Well, anyway, I didn’t tell Mona 
about my birthday, or that I expect company.” 

“ It wasn’t really necessary,” said Nan, drily; 
“ she’ll probably be over here a good deal of 
the time, anyway.” 

“Not if I see her first!” retorted Patty, 
though she knew in her heart, if Mona chose to 
come, she couldn’t help herself. 

“ Well,” said her father, “ now that we’ve all 
denounced Mona sufficiently, I’ll express my 
opinion of Miss Patricia Fairfield. Any little 
girl who pretends to keep her motor accessories 
in order, and then blithely rides away with an 
old burst tube in her repair kit, is, to my mind, 
as I’ve had occasion to tell her before, a feather- 
headed butterfly ! ” 


[iJ5] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ Oh, don’t call me such dreadful names ! ” 
pleaded Patty, wringing her hands in mock 
despair. “ Do let me down more easily than 
that! I’ve never done such a thing before, and 
I’m perfectly certain I never shall again ! ” 

“ I don’t believe you ever will,” returned her 
father, kindly, and he said no more about what 
was really somewhat culpable carelessness. 

The next day the guests arrived. It was 
Wednesday, and the birthday was on Thursday. 

Elise and Roger were due at three o’clock. 
Mr. Hepworth was to bring Christine down a 
little later, and they were expected at five; while 
Kenneth and Mr. Van Reypen could not reach 
Spring Beach until seven. 

So, a little before three, Patty started in her 
car to go to the station to meet the Farringtons. 
As Elise and Roger stepped off the train, they 
saw her sitting smiling at them, and they made 
a rush for the Stanhope. 

“What a ducky little motor!” cried Elise. 
“ Oh, Patty, it’s the prettiest one I ever saw ! 
and it’s so becoming to you ! Shall I get in? ” 

“ Yes,” answered Patty, as she gaily greeted 
them both. “ I’ll take you over to the house, 
Elise, but I can’t take you both. Roger, if you 

[ 156] 


The First Arrivals 

don’t mind, will you go in that stage vehicle, 
and I’ll give you a ride in my car some other 
time.” 

“ Yes, of course, Patty; and I’ll look after the 
luggage. You two girls go on, and I’ll see you 
later. Where do I go to, Patty? ” 

“ Oh, just tell the driver to take you to Mr. 
Fairfield’s house. He knows where it is. We 
call it 1 The Pebbles,’ but he may not know it 
by that name. But you’ll get there, somehow.” 

“ Oh, I’ll get there ! ” declared Roger, and, 
with laughing good-byes, the two girls drove 
away. 

“ Don’t you love your car, Patty? ” asked 
Elise, as they went swiftly along. 

“ Yes, I do, Elise. I love it almost as I would 
a human being. I’ve never told any one this, 
because it seems sort of silly. But sometimes, 
when I’m out alone in it, I talk to it just as I 
would to a person, and she seems to understand. 
I’ve named her the Swift Camilla, and some- 
how Camilla seems to understand everything I 
say to her, and she almost talks back. Then, 
when I take other people with me, Camilla likes 
or dislikes them. If she dislikes them, she shows 
it by not running quite so smoothly. She jumps 
and balks and shies, for no reason at all, except 
[ 157 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

petulance. Isn’t that so, Camilla? ” and Patty 
patted the side of the car with a caressing 
gesture. 

“ Does she like me?” asked Elise, anxiously. 

“ Yes, indeed ! Don’t you see she’s flying along 
like a bird! She knows you understand her, 
Elise, and you don’t think she’s merely an in- 
animate object.” 

“ Inanimate object! No, indeed! With her 
pulses thrilling and her sensitive nature alive 
to every passing incident, she’s far from inani- 
mate ! ” 

Patty looked at Elise in surprise. “ Why, 
girlie,” she said, “ I didn’t know you had so 
much imagination in your make-up.” 

“ I’ve always felt that way about motor cars, 
Patty. Our great big car is lumberly and fat, 
and a little bit stolid of disposition; but father 
has a little runabout that’s the nervousest thing 
you ever saw. But this Stanhope! Well, I’ve 
simply got to have one like it, that’s all! Fa- 
ther’ll give it to me in a minute, if I only could 
persuade mother to let me run it alone. But 
I’m ’most sure she never will.” 

“ This car of mine seems to sell others for the 
company,” said Patty, laughing. “ There’s a 
girl down here, next door to me, who says she’s 
[158] 


The First Arrivals 

going to get one, too. And I know the boys will 
all fall in love with this little beauty ! ” 

“Meaning the car or the girl next door?” 
asked Elise, smiling. 

“ Oh, the car! The girl next door isn’t a lit- 
tle beauty! Well, that is, I suppose she is 
good-looking in her own way, but ” 

“But you don’t like her, isn’t that it?” and 
Elise smiled at her own intuition. 

“ No, I don’t like her,” declared Patty, hon- 
estly; “but I’m trying to. I’ll tell you all 
about it some other time, and, anyway, you’ll 
probably see her for yourself while you’re here. 
This is her home we’re passing now.” 

“ Gorgeous place,” said Elise, as she looked 
at the imposing “ Red Chimneys.” “ But I 
like this next place better. This big white house 
is lovely.” 

“Good for you, Elise! This is ‘The Peb- 
bles,’ and your own destination.” 

Patty turned into the drive, and stopped at 
the broad steps of the front veranda. Nan was 
there to welcome them, and the two girls sprang 
out as Miller appeared to take the car away. 

“ Roger will be here soon! ” exclaimed Patty, 
while Nan greeted Elise warmly. “ He’s com- 
ing over in the stage, and he’ll bring the lug- 

[ HQ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

gage. Come on, Elise, I’ll show you your 
room.” 

The two girls went off, and Patty took Elise 
to one of the pretty guest rooms. They stayed 
there chatting until Elise’s trunk came, and 
then Patty declared she must run down and 
entertain Roger, while Elise unpacked her 
things. 

She found the boy still on the front veranda 
talking to Nan, with whom he was a great fa- 
vourite. Indeed, all Patty’s boy friends were 
favourites with Nan, and she was so charming 
and attractive herself that they all liked to chat 
with her. 

Kenneth Harper she looked upon as her es- 
pecial protege, for he was alone in the city; and 
Mr. Hepworth, of course, was one of her old 
friends. 

As for Philip Van Reypen, Nan had liked him 
from the first, and they had established a very 
chummy acquaintance. So, on the whole, the 
house party bade fair to be a great success, and 
Nan expected to enjoy its fun almost as much 
as Patty herself. 

“ You’re getting brown, Patty,” said Roger, 
looking admiringly at the tanned face. 

“Yes, it’s outdoorsiness as does it! I swim 
[ 160] 


The First Arrivals 


and walk, and play tennis and go motoring all 
day long, and I sleep on a veranda at night.” 

“ So you get tanned by the moon as well as by 
the sun,” said Roger. “ Well, it’s very becom- 
ing, and you look a whole lot healthier than 
you did in the city.” 

“ Yes, I am. Come on out and see my car, 
Roger, and I’ll give you a little spin, if you 
like. Elise is unpacking her finery and won’t 
miss us.” 

Like every one else, Roger was enthusiastic 
in his praise of the wonderful car, and gladly 
accepted Patty’s invitation to go for a short 
ride. He complimented Patty on her skilful 
driving, and they went for some distance along 
the coast road. 

“ Let me drive back,” said Roger, as they 
turned homeward, and so they changed seats 
for the return trip. 

“Beautiful car!” he repeated; “and perfect 
mechanism. Patty, I congratulate you on win- 
ning the thing, and it’s wonderful to think you 
did win it all yourself! ” 

“ Oh, I had a lot of help, you know! ” 

“ Well, it was your own enterprise, and you 
worked pretty hard yourself.” 

“Yes, I did;” and Patty smiled at the recol- 
[161] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

lection. “ I sat up nights with those hundred 
questions, and lots of times I thought I should 
fail.” 

“ But still you persevered. That’s where 
you’re such a brick, Patty. If you set your 
heart on anything, you never give up.” 

“ Well, I’m glad I persevered this time, any- 
way, for this car is a perfect joy to me. I sup- 
pose father would have given me one, if I had 
asked for it, but somehow it never occurred 
to me that I wanted one. I had no idea I’d 
love it as I do.” 

“ Oh, they’re great things, and I’m jolly glad 
you’ve got this one. You’ll enjoy it more every 
day you own it. Now here we are at ‘ The 
Pebbles.’ Do you want to turn in? ” 

“Yes; and I’m going to turn you out. Then 
I’m going to take the car and go back to the 
station to meet Christine. She’s coming down 
with Mr. Hepworth.” 

“ Let me go over with you, then I can give 
Christine my place, and I’ll tote old Hepworth 
over here.” 

“All right; but I must see Elise before I go, 
and tell her where I’m going.” 

To Patty’s surprise, Elise seemed a little an- 
noyed to learn that she was going to the train 

t 162 ] 


The First Arrivals 

for Christine. Patty had almost forgotten the 
foolish jealousy that Elise had of her own 
friendship with Christine. But, as always, she 
thought the best way to treat it was to ignore 
it; she simply repeated her statement. “Yes, 
Elise,” she said, “ I’m going over to the station 
to bring Christine home with me. Mr. Hep- 
worth will come over in the stage. He’s going 
to stay at the hotel, anyway; we haven’t room 
for him here. But, of course, he’ll be over here 
most of the time. Roger is going over with me, 
and then he’ll get out, and give Christine his 
place, and he’ll come back with Mr. Hepworth. 
What will you do while I’m gone? Will you 
dress for dinner, or will you take a little rest? ” 

They were in Elise’s room, and her pretty 
gowns and other finery were lying about, as she 
had unpacked them. 

“ Oh, it doesn’t matter about me,” she said, 
ungraciously; “ you go on and meet your friend 
Christine, and I’ll look after myself.” 

“Elise, stop being a goose!” cried Patty, 
grasping her by the shoulders and kissing her 
on both cheeks. “ If you talk like that, you’ll 
spoil my whole house party and my birthday 
and everything! Now, you’re my friend, and 
Christine is my friend, and you two girls have 
[ 163 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

simply got to be friends with each other; so 
make your mind up to that ! If you say an- 
other snippy word on the subject, I’ll go and 
lock myself in my own room, and stay there un- 
til you go home ! ” 

Elise laughed, for she was always a little 
ashamed of herself after an exhibition of her 
petty jealousy, and Patty knew that she wouldn’t 
repeat the offence, for the present at least. 

“ You ring for Louise,” Patty went on, “ to 
help you put away these pretty frocks and 
things, and then you make yourself at home, and 
do just what you want to until I come back with 
Christine. And then, milady, you will be just 
as sweet and charming to Christine as you can 
possibly be! Catch on? ” 

“ Yes,” said Elise, smiling, and Patty kissed 
her again and ran away. 


[i6 4 ] 


CHAPTER XII 


A MOONLIGHT RIDE 

P ATTY seemed a little quiet as she and 
Roger drove to the station, for she was 
thinking how foolish Elise was, and what 
a lot of trouble she could stir up, if she chose 
to indulge in that stupid jealousy of Christine. 
If Christine had been more able to resent it, 
and take her own part, it would not have been 
so bad, but she was so sensitive to the slightest 
coldness, and so afraid of seeming to impose on 
Patty’s friendship, that it made the situation a 
little difficult. 

But Roger’s gay banter revived Patty’s droop- 
ing spirits, and, when they reached the station, 
they were in a gale of laughter over some jok- 
ing nonsense. 

The train soon arrived, and they saw Chris- 
tine and Mr. Hepworth step down on to the 
station platform. 

Roger met them, and conducted them to 
Patty. Then there were more compliments and 
congratulations on the new car, and soon Chris- 

[165] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

tine was tucked in beside Patty, and the two 
men waved them farewell. 

“ How are you, Christine? ” asked Patty, look- 
ing anxiously at the girl’s pale cheeks. 

“ Oh, Pm all right. A little tired, but a day 
or two down here will set me up wonderfully, I 
know.” 

“A day or two! You must stay a week, at 
least.” 

“ No, I can’t possibly, Patty. My work is 
very important just now, and I must go back day 
after to-morrow.” 

“ We’ll see about that;” and Patty wagged her 
head, positively. “ And look here, Christine, 
while I have you by yourself, I want to tell you 
something. Elise Farrington is here, you know, 
and she has a silly notion of some sort that 
makes her resent my friendship for you. Now 
I want to ask you, as a special favour to me, 
not to pay any attention to her foolishness. If 
she snubs you right out, I’ll attend to her case 
myself; but, if she just flings little bits of hate- 
ful allusions at you, don’t mind them, will you, 
dear? ” 

“ I can’t help it, Patty. Unkind speeches 
shrivel me all up somehow; I just can’t stand 
them!” 


[166] 


A Moonlight Ride 

‘‘Well, stand them for my sake, please. You 
know I can’t help it, and, if I had thought you 
wouldn’t have a good time, I wouldn’t have 
asked you here when Elise is here. But, you 
see, it’s my birthday house party, and I want 
all of my dearest friends with me.” 

“ And you count me among them? Oh, Patty, 
how good you are to me! Truly, I will try not 
to be foolishly sensitive, and I promise not to 
notice anything Elise may do or say, if I can 
possibly help it.” 

“ That’s a good girl,” said Patty, giving 
Christine’s arm a little squeeze. “ But isn’t it 
funny, Christine, that I have these little petty 
troubles among my girl friends, and never 
among my boy friends. The boys are all so 
nice to me, and they never get jealous of each 
other or anything silly like that. But you see 
this place we’re just passing? It’s called ‘ Red 
Chimneys,’ and I have a girl friend in there, — 
at least, she’s an acquaintance, — who makes me 
a lot of trouble, too.” 

“ I don’t make you trouble, Patty, do I? ” 

“ Well, of course, it’s mostly Elise’s fault, but, 
if you’ll just ignore it, and stand up for your 
own rights, you can help me a whole lot.” 

“I will, Patty; indeed, I will!” said Chris- 
[167] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

tine, earnestly, and then they arrived at “ The 
Pebbles.” 

Dinner that night was a gay and jolly feast. 
It was the eve of the birthday, and the 
house party had already assumed an air of 
festivity. 

Mr. Van Reypen and Kenneth Harper had 
come down later than the others, and Philip Van 
Reypen had established himself at the hotel 
where Mr. Hepworth was, while Kenneth was 
a house guest at “ The Pebbles.” 

But the men from the hotel came over to din- 
ner, and announced their intention of staying 
as late as they would be allowed. 

Also, to Patty’s dismay, Mona Galbraith had 
come over just before dinner, and, as she was 
still there when dinner was announced, Nan felt 
herself really obliged to ask the girl to dine 
with them. 

Patty didn’t like it at all, but there was no 
help for it, and so Mona stayed. She looked 
very pretty that night, and was not quite so 
overdressed as usual. Moreover, she made 
herself bright and entertaining, without show- 
ing any of her less desirable traits of character. 

Seated between Roger and Mr. Van Reypen, 
she ingratiated herself with both, and, when 
[168] 


A Moonlight Ride 

Patty saw that the boys seemed to like Mona, 
she felt rather glad she was there. 

After dinner they all drifted out to the veran- 
das, and, as it was a moonlight night and high 
breakers were dashing in on the beach, there 
was the usual chorus of admiration for the 
glories of the seashore. 

There was much gay chatter and laughter, 
there was some desultory singing of songs, and 
at last Elise jumped up, saying: “I just 
can’t stand it any longer! I simply must 
go down to the beach ! Will anybody go with 
me? ” 

“ I will,” said Kenneth, gallantly. “ I was 
just thinking about that myself. Anybody else 
want to go? ” 

“ I want to go,” said Christine, a little tim- 
idly, and Patty looked up in surprise, at the 
idea of Christine wanting to go with Elise any- 
where. 

But Christine was longing to get down to the 
water, and see the ocean nearer by, for it was 
about two blocks from “ The Pebbles,” though 
no buildings intervened. 

“ Mayn’t I go with you, Christine? ” said Mr. 
Hepworth; and, with a glance of gratitude, 
Christine said, “ Yes, indeed.” 

[169] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ Come on, then,” sung out Kenneth. “ All 
ashore that’s going! Let’s all go.” 

But Roger said that the ocean must wait for 
him until next day, for he was going over to 
“ Red Chimneys ” with Miss Galbraith, just 
then. 

“What for?” asked Patty, in amazement. 

“ He wants to see father’s birds,” explained 
Mona. “ You know, my father has a really 
wonderful collection of stuffed birds, — and he’ll 
be delighted to show them to Mr. Farrington, 
who says he is interested in them.” 

“ All right,” said Patty; “ run along, you two. 
But don’t stay late, Roger; we keep early hours 
down here.” 

“ All right, Patty, I won’t;” and Roger walked 
away with Miss Galbraith, while Patty looked 
after them with a puzzled glance. 

The four who wanted to walk to the beach 
had already started, leaving the two senior 
Fairfields and Patty and Mr. Van Reypen on 
the veranda. 

“ It’s perfectly heavenly to get away from the 
city, and down to this beautiful, quiet, peaceful 
spot,” said Philip Van Reypen, as he seated 
himself on the veranda railing, and leaned 
against a pillar. 


[ 170 ] 


A Moonlight Ride 

“ Is your life in the city so full of strife that 
you welcome peace?” asked Patty, smiling. 

“ Oh, the city itself is full of strife,” returned 
Van Reypen; “isn’t it, Mr. Fairfield?” 

“Yes; compared to the seashore, it certainly 
is. This expanse of blue ocean is much more 
peaceful and calm than a scene in Wall Street, 
for instance.” 

“Yes, that’s what I mean; and to get down 
here and just bask in the calmness and peace 
is a great delight to me. It was awfully good 
of you people to ask me.” 

“ We like to have you here,” said Nan, smiling 
at the young man’s frank and heartfelt grati- 
tude. 

“ And I think it’s good of you to come,” said 
Patty; “for you must have lots of invitations 
to grander houses than this.” 

“ My child,” said Philip Van Reypen, looking 
at her, gravely, “ it is not the grandeur of a 
house that attracts me; it’s the grandeur of the 
people. And I think you people are just grand! 
But, tell me, how do you like the motor car 
which you won by such strenuous exertion? ” 

“ Which you helped me to win,” said Patty. 
“ I never could have won it without your help. 
And to think you haven’t seen it! Come out 

1 171 .1 


Patty’s Motor Car 

to the garage now, and take a look at it. I’ve 
never seen it by moonlight myself; and I know 
it must look lovely.” 

Catching up a light wrap, Patty flung it around 
her, and, with Mr. Van Reypen, walked around 
the house to the garage. The full moon was 
so very bright that, when the young man opened 
the big doors, Patty’s car showed as clearly and 
plainly as if it had been daylight. 

“Isn’t she a beauty!” said Patty, in a voice 
almost awestruck, for the moonlight touched 
up the car with a sort of magic lustre never 
seen by day. 

“She sure is!” declared young Van Reypen, 
with emphasis. “Wow! what perfection of 
detail, and what beautiful finish ! Can you run 
it?” 

“Can I run it? Well, rather! Why, I’ve 
run it hundreds of miles since I’ve had it! ” 

“ Let’s get her out now, and just circle the 
drive once.” 

“Oh, it’s too late now! I’ll take you out in 
it to-morrow.” 

“Nonsense! it’s only about ten o’clock, and 
it’s as light as noonday. Come on, let’s do it.” 

“ All right, I don’t mind. But just around the 
drive; we won’t go out of the gate.” 

[ 172 ] 


A Moonlight Ride 

“ All right, then ; hop in. Let me drive.” 

“ But I want to show off my driving.” 

“ Oh, wait until to-morrow for that, Miss Van- 
ity. I know you drive beautifully, but I want 
to see how this thing works, myself. You know 
I guessed some few of those puzzles.” 

“ Yes, I know you did. All right, then, you 
drive.” 

Philip assisted Patty in, and then took his own 
place and grasped the steering-bar and the con- 
troller. 

“My, but she is a daisy! All the modern 
kinks in the way of mechanism ! ” 

They circled the driveway twice, and, when 
passing the veranda, Patty turned to wave her 
hand to her father and Nan, she discovered 
they were not there. “ Why, they must have 
gone in ! ” she said, in surprise. 

“ Perhaps they went down to the beach,” sug- 
gested Van Reypen. “ Let’s go and see.” 

They were near the gateway then, and, before 
Patty knew it, Philip had swung the car through, 
and they were spinning along the shore road. 

The top of the car was down, and they had 
an unobstructed view of sea and shore. The 
night was still, save for the pounding of the 
surf, and the crested billows frothed and dashed 
[ 173 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

on the white sand. The moon touched every- 
thing with its magic, and the sea, the beach, 
and the inland were alike shining with a silver 
glory. The smooth, hard road stretched ahead 
of them like a white ribbon, and it was small 
wonder that Philip Van Reypen did not stifle 
the impulse to send the car spinning ahead. 

“Oh!” breathed Patty, entranced by the 
wonderful beauty of the night, and the exhila- 
ration of that swift, soundless, gliding motion 
through it. 

“Isn’t it great!” whispered Philip. “Did 
you ever know anything like it ? ” 

“ No, I never did ! It’s like being in some 
enchanted place ! I’ve never before been out 
at night.” 

“And there never was such a night as this! 
Are you afraid?” 

“ Oh, no, not a bit! I know my car too well, 
and I know you are not driving recklessly, 
though we are going pretty fast.” 

Philip slowed down his speed a little, and they 
went steadily on. 

“ We oughtn’t to be doing this,” said Patty, 
laughing like a gleeful child. 

“ Why not? ” asked her companion, in an ag- 
grieved tone. 


[ ! 74 ] 


A Moonlight Ride 

u Oh, lots of reasons! For one thing, I’m a 
hostess.” 

“ Yes, but you haven’t any guests. They’ve 
all scooted off by themselves in different direc- 
tions ; even your father and mother deserted the 
veranda, so I’m the only guest you have for 
the moment, and, I assure you, I’m being very 
pleasantly entertained.” 

“ So am I,” said Patty, demurely. “ But 
somehow I have an uneasy feeling that I’ll catch 
a scolding for this ! I’m not accustomed to go- 
ing out with a young man late at night.” 

“ Oh, well, I’m not very young, and it isn’t 
very late, so don’t bother about that. And any- 
way, if you’re going to catch a scolding, you 
may as well have the fun first. And it is fun, 
isn’t it?” 

“ Oh, it’s gorgeous fun ! I never enjoyed 
anything more ! But we mustn’t go any 
further. We’re about three miles beyond Spring 
Beach now.” 

Sure enough, they had gone beyond all signs 
of habitation, and were on a long, straight 
stretch of road, with the ocean on one side and 
pine woods on the other. It was weirdly beau- 
tiful, — the dark shadows of the pines, darker 
than ever by contrast with the moonlighted 
[ 175 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

spaces. There was no boardwalk here, and the 
sea dashed almost up to the road they were on. 

“ All right,” said Philip, in answer to Patty’s 
suggestion, “ we will turn around in a minute. 
We’ll just go to that next clump of pines, and 
then we’ll turn back.” 

He lowered the speed, and they crawled 
slowly along toward the trees he had indicated. 

“ It’s perfect,” sighed Patty, drinking in the 
beauty all around her. “ I’m glad you helped 
me guess those questions, or I never should have 
had this experience. Except for one moonlight 
night in Venice, I’ve never seen anything so 
lovely.” 

“ Then you’re glad I brought you, if it was a 
case of kidnapping? ” 

“ Yes,” said Patty, while a demure smile dim- 
pled at the corners of her mouth. “ I think 
I like being kidnapped. Are you going to hold 
me for ransom?” 

“ I’d like to, but nobody could offer a ransom 
big enough to get you back! ” 

“Now thafs a pretty speech;” and Patty 
nodded her head approvingly. “ So, as there’s 
no ransom to be considered, please take me back 
to my fond parents, for I have no doubt they’re 
scared to death wondering where I am.” 

[ 176 ] 


CHAPTER XIII 
patty’s ingenuity 

P HILIP turned the car around, and, in a 
few moments, they were swiftly speeding 
toward home. 

“ It’s awfully good of you,” he said, “ to 
give me this little bit of your time all to my- 
self.” 

“ I don’t think I gave it,” observed Patty, 
smiling; “I think you took it when I wasn’t 
looking.” 

“ Yes, and when no one else was looking, or 
I mightn’t have succeeded so well. But it’s 
been a gorgeous ride, and now I’m going to 
take you right back to home and mother. Do 
you suppose those people who went to see the 
ocean are still looking at it? If so, it will be 
fun to drive right down to them.” 

“Oh, don’t try it! Camilla cuts up dread- 
fully if she gets stuck in the sand. It’s the one 
thing she won’t stand! ” 

“ All right, we’ll go right, straight, bang 
home, then. Whew! We have come farther 

[ 177] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

than I thought! We can’t see the lights of 
Spring Beach yet.” 

“No; but I know where we are. It’s about 
three miles to Spring Beach. Put on a good 
speed, and we’ll soon do it. There’s not a 
thing in the road, and I’ll trust your fast driv- 
ing.” 

“All right, my lady; here goes! ” Van Rey- 
pen flung in the highest speed and they fairly 
flew. And then, quite suddenly and without 
any jar or jolt, or warning of any kind, they 
found themselves sitting quite still. Camilla 
had stopped of her own accord, and seemed 
absolutely disinclined to proceed. There was 
no noise and no fuss, the car simply stood 
motionless. 

“What did you stop for?” asked Patty, turn- 
ing an enquiring face toward Van Reypen. 

“I didn’t stop; she stopped herself. Your 
friend Camilla is not in such haste to get home 
as you are, and she wants to see the moonlight 
on the sea once again.” 

“ Nonsense! Didn’t you truly stop the car? ” 

“ No, truly I didn’t, and, what’s more, I can’t 
make it go on.” 

“ Then something has happened! ” 

“ Right-o ! How clever of you to guess that! 
[ 178 ] 


Patty’s Ingenuity 

But it’s your car, and you know its tricks and 
its manners. What does it mean when she stops 
like this, gently but firmly?” 

“ I don’t know;” and Patty looked blankly be- 
wildered. “ She’s never done such a thing 
before. Of course something must be out of 
order, — but I can’t think what. The tires are 
all right.” 

“Yes, of course; it isn’t a puncture. But I 
can’t think myself what it can be. Well, I’ll 
have to overhaul the engine and see what I can 
see.” 

Van Reypen got out and began to investigate, 
but he could find nothing wrong in any part. 
“Has the charge given out?” he asked. 

“ No, the batteries are all right. It was fully 
charged this morning, and I used it very little 
to-day. She’s good for eighty or ninety miles 
easily, and I haven’t run twenty to-day.” 

“ Then, I give it up. I do know something 
about cars, but I’m much more experienced with 
the gasoline motors. However, this is so beau- 
tifully made, and yet so really simple of con- 
struction, that I feel I ought to understand it. 
You get out, and take a look.” 

Philip held the lamp while Patty peered 
anxiously into the motor. 

[ 179 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

She didn’t understand fully all the complicated 
parts, but she had a fair working knowledge 
of its main principles, and she, too, was unable 
to discover anything wrong or out of order. 

“ We’re in a lovely mess,” she observed, cheer- 
fully, as she stood looking at Philip. 

“ Yes, we’re up against it,” he rejoined, but 
his tone was as cheerful as her own, and they 
both laughed as they looked at each other. 
For, given a moonlight night, and two merry 
young people, it is not difficult to look on the 
bright side of a motor misfortune. 

“ Now,” said Patty, philosophically, “ what do 
we do next? ” 

“ I’m not very familiar with this locality, but, 
if there were any chance of a big car coming 
along, we’d ask them to tow us. The running 
gear of this car is all right.” 

“ Yes, and so is the steering gear. And the 
batteries seem to be in perfect order. I can’t 
imagine what’s the matter. However, I can 
inform you there’s precious little chance of any 
car coming along this way now. Seashore peo- 
ple always go to bed early, and they never ride 
at night, anyhow. No, we’ll have to walk 
home.” 

“And leave the car here?” 

[ iSo] 


Patty’s Ingenuity 

“ Yes; I hate to do it. But nobody can steal 
her, for she won’t go.” 

“ But somebody might steal her and tow her 
away. That is, if a car should come along, and 
we weren’t here.” 

“ Oh, I can’t bear to think of that! I don’t 
want to lose my beautiful car! What can we 
do?” 

“ I don’t see anything to do but to sit here 
in the car all night, and of course we can’t do 
that. Nor can one of us go and one stay, for 
I wouldn’t let you go alone, and I’m sure I 
wouldn’t let you stay here alone.” 

“ I think I’ll go,” said Patty, slowly. “ You 
stay with the car, and I’ll walk home alone. 
It’s only three miles, and I’m sure it’s perfectly 
safe; there’s no one abroad at this time of 
night.” 

“ Patty, I can’t let you do it;” and Philip Van 
Reypen looked deeply troubled. “ I can’t let 
you walk those three miles, alone, late at 
night.” 

“ But you don’t want to go and leave me 
here, sitting alone in a broken-down motor 
car?” 

“No; I can’t do that, either.” 

“ And we can’t both go, — and we can’t both 

[181] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

stay! So it’s a dead — what do you call those 
things?” 

“A deadlock?” 

“Yes, that’s what I mean. If neither of us 
can go, and neither of us can stay, and we can’t 
both go, and we can’t both stay, isn’t that a 
pretty good imitation of a deadlock?” 

“ It certainly is ! Now, in those lovely motor- 
car novels that people write, somebody would 
come along just in the nick of time, and fix 
everything all right, and we’d all live happy 
ever after.” 

“ Yes; but we’re not in a novel, and I’m posi- 
tive nobody will come along so late. What 
time is it? ” 

“ A little after eleven,” said Philip, looking 
at his watch. “ Patty, I can’t tell you how 
sorry I am that I got you into this scrape, and 
I must figure some way to get you out! But it 
hasn’t come to me yet.” 

Philip’s face was a picture of despair. He 
suddenly realised his responsibility in bringing 
Patty out here at night. It was done on a 
sudden impulse, a mere frolicsome whim, and, 
if the car hadn’t broken down, all would have 
been well. 

“ Don’t take it too seriously, Philip,” said 
[182] 


Patty’s Ingenuity 

Patty, in a pleading voice, for, now that she 
saw how he felt, she was sorry for him. “ We’ll 
get out of this somehow! But, truly, I think 
the only way is for me to walk home and send 
father’s big car back for you and Camilla. I 
sha’n’t mind the walk half as much as I 
should mind sitting here, and waiting while you 

go*” 

“ But, Patty, you can’t walk three miles in 
those little, high-heeled slippers.” 

Patty looked down at her little evening shoes, 
with their French heels. They were not suitable 
for a three-mile walk, but that was a secondary 
consideration. “I must go,” she said; “there 
is no other way.” 

“ Then I’m going with you,” declared Philip, 
stoutly. “ And, if anybody steals that car, I’ll 
give you another one exactly like it! I’ll have 
it built to order, with the same specifications! 
This whole affair is my fault, and I’m going to 
get you out of it the best way I can.” 

“It isn’t your fault! I won’t have you say 
so, just because that stupid old car chose the 
worst possible moment to break down ! But, 
all the same, I don’t know how I can walk 
three miles in these high-heeled slippers with 
you any better than I could without you.” 

[183] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Philip grinned. “ When you get tired, I’ll 
carry you,” he declared. “ I tell you I’m going 
to get you out of this scrape, if it takes all 
summer I” . ® 

“ Well, it will, unless we start ^pretty soon. 
Come on, then.” 

“ Wait a minute. Suppose I take those heels 
off your shoes. Couldn’t you walk better 
then?” 

“Oh, fiddlesticks! I’m accustomed to high 
heels. I can walk in them all right.” 

“ Yes; and, first thing you know, they’ll throw 
you, and you’ll twist your foot, and sprain your 
ankle ” 

“ Well, then you will have to carry me,” said 
Patty, laughing. “ But, before we start, do 
let’s try once more to make the car go. Maybe 
it’s nothing but perverseness.” 

But their efforts were unavailing, and Camilla 
stood stock-still in the middle of the road, as 
if she never intended to move again. 

“ It would be like the One-Hoss-Shay,” said 
Patty, “ only in that, you know, every part 
dropped to pieces; and here nothing’s the mat- 
ter with any part.” 

“ But there must be something the matter,” 
declared Philip, who was once again examining 
[184] 


Patty’s Ingenuity 

the batteries; “and, by jingo, Patty, — I’ve 
found it ! ” 

“You have! What is it?” 

“ Why, the battery strap has separated, that’s 
all!” 

“ What is the battery strap? I don’t see any 
strap.” 

“Oh, it isn’t a leather strap; it’s this band 
of lead that goes around the battery, but they 
call it a strap. See this crack across it?” 

“Oh, that little crack! Does that do any 
harm?” 

“Why, yes, of course; it completely stops the 
current. You see, the two ends of the strap 
almost touch; if they did touch, we’d be all 
right. Now, if I had a little piece of lead to 
connect those two parts where they are sepa- 
rated, I could fix it in a jiffy! Got any lead? ” 

“ I don’t know. Look in the tool-box.” 

“ Just a little piece of lead wire, or anything 
that’s lead.” 

“ Try a lead pencil,” said Patty, but Philip 
was poking in the tool-box and paid little at- 
tention to her mild joke. 

“ There isn’t a lead thing here ! ” he exclaimed. 
“ Your tool-box is too everlastingly cleared up! 
Every tool in a little pocket by itself! Why 

[185] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

don’t you have a whole lot of old rubbishy 
junk; then we might find something for an 
emergency? ” 

“ Can’t you find anything that will do? ” 

“Not a thing! To think that, now we’ve 
found out what the trouble is, we can’t mend 
it! and such an easy break to mend, if I just had 
a scrap of lead. Well, we may as well make up 
our minds to walk.” 

“Oh, dear!” sighed Patty; “I didn’t mind 
walking so much when I thought the car had 
really broken down. But just that little bit 
of a crevice in the battery strap ! Oh, can’t 
we mend it, somehow? Can’t you pull the strap 
out longer or something? ” 

“ No, angel child, there’s nothing doing with- 
out some lead. After this, always bring some 
lead in your pocket.” 

“ But I haven’t any pocket.” 

“ Ah, that explains the absence of the lead ! 
If you had had a pocket, of course you would 
have brought some lead. You’re excused.” 

“ Well, next time I’ll bring lead with me, you 
may be sure of that.” 

“ I hope you will, fair lady, and may I be here 
to use it! Now, shall we start for our moon- 
light stroll ? ” 


[ 186] 


Patty’s Ingenuity 

“Wait a minute; I have a idea! ” 

“ Something tells me your idea is a good one ! ” 

“ I don’t know whether it is or not. I’m 
afraid it isn’t. And I’m afraid to tell you what 
it is, for fear you’ll laugh at me.” 

“ I laugh? I, a man in charge of a broken- 
down motor, and a fair young girl with French 
heels, and midnight drawing nearer and nearer! 
I laugh ! Nay, nay, I’m in no laughing mood ! ” 

“ Well, if you’ll promise not to laugh, I’ll tell 
you, — or, rather, I’ll show you.” 

From a little utility case, which was tucked 
away under the seat of the motor, Patty drew 
out a good-sized package of sweet chocolate. 
“ I always carry chocolate with me,” she 
said, “ because it tastes so good when it’s 
dusty.” 

“When the chocolate’s dusty?” 

“No, of course not; when the road’s dusty, 
and your throat’s dusty, — chocolate’s awful 
good then.” 

As she talked, Patty had torn off the outer 
wrapper, and showed the chocolate neatly 
wrapped in tinfoil. She took this off carefully, 
and, tossing the chocolate aside, folded the tin- 
foil into a long strip, while Philip gazed at her 
with dawning admiration in his eyes. 

[187] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ There’s your lead,” she said, simply, as she 
handed him the strip. 

“Patty, you’re a genius!” he exclaimed; “a 
perfect genius ! How did you ever think of 
that?” 

“Will it do?” 

“Do? Of course it will do! It’s just the 
very thing. I’ll wrap it around that separated 
battery strap, and we’ll be off in two min- 
utes! ” 

In really less than two minutes, Van Reypen 
had wound the strip of tinfoil in its place, had 
jumped into the car beside Patty, who was al- 
ready in, and they were flying along at top 
speed. 

“How did you think of it?” he asked again, 
as they skimmed along. “ It was terribly clever 
of you ! ” 

“ Why, I knew you wanted lead, and I knew 
tinfoil was lead. I was stupid not to think of 
it sooner.” 

“ You’re a marvel to think of it at all ! It was 
wonderful ! ” 

“ Oh, not at all; that’s nothing to what I can 
do when I really try! Have some chocolate? ” 

Patty was in gay spirits now, for they were 
flying homeward through the moonlight, and 
[ 1 88 ] 


Patty’s Ingenuity 

she was spared the three-mile walk and her be- 
loved car was safe in her own possession. 

“ Yes, I will have some chocolate, thank you. 
We may as well take all the goods the gods 
provide, while we can. I’m glad to get you 
home safely, but I can’t honestly say that I 
haven’t enjoyed this whole escapade. Can 
you? ” 

“ No,” said Patty, looking at him with a de- 
mure smile, “ not honestly, I can’t. But, all the 
same, I’m glad we could manage to ride home 
instead of walk.” 

“Yes, so am I; and it’s astonishing how hun- 
gry I am ! Can you spare a little more of that 
chocolate? ” 

“Yes, indeed;” and Patty broke off a gener- 
ous bit; “but we’ll give you some supper at 
‘ The Pebbles.’ I fancy they’ll be rather glad 
to see us ! ” 

“Yes,” said Philip, grinning; “and I rather 
fancy we’ll get a warm reception, — and I’m not 
sure but we deserve it! ” 


[ 189 ] 


CHAPTER XIV 


A BIRTHDAY BREAKFAST 

I T was not quite twelve o’clock when the 
Swift Camilla swung through the gateway 
of “ The Pebbles,” and around the long 
drive to the house. As might have been ex- 
pected, the waiting group on the veranda 
greeted the returned runaways with various but 
vociferous exclamations. 

Several of them said, “ Why, Patty Fair- 
field! ” Several others said, “Where have you 
been? ” 

Roger called out, cheerily: “You must have 
had a ripping good time! Wish I’d been 
along! ” 

Mr. Fairfield said only, “Patty!” and Mr. 
Hepworth said nothing at all, but looked at 
Patty with an unmistakable expression of re- 
proof. 

Philip Van Reypen took the brunt of the situa- 
tion upon himself. He jumped out of the car, 
assisted Patty out, and led her straight to her 
father. 


[ 190] 


A Birthday Breakfast 

“ Mr. Fairfield,” he said, “ here’s your daugh- 
ter, safe and sound, I’m happy to say. But I 
want you to decorate her with the Victoria 
Cross, or something just as good, for to-night 
she has proved herself a genius, — a wonderful 
genius ! But for her ingenuity we should still 
be sitting in her little motor car, high and dry 
on a moonlit beach, listening to the wild waves. 
To her all the honour and glory, and, if there is 
any blame attached to our little excursion, it 
is mine. I kidnapped your daughter, but I fully 
meant to return her in ten or fifteen minutes, 
without ransom. I am no villain ! But, owing 
to an accident, we were delayed.” 

“I should think you were!” broke in Mr. 
Fairfield. “ It is nearly midnight, and I 
am ” 

“ Papa,” interrupted Patty, “ I know exactly 
what you are! You are surprised, astounded, 
amazed, astonished, dumfounded, taken aback, 
struck all of a heap, and completely flabber- 
gasted! If you are anything else, you can 
let me know to-morrow. Meantime, we are 
two heroes, who returned with our shield, and 
on it, both! Incidentally we are starving, and, 
if we had some supper, we could relate our ex- 
periences in fine shape.” 

[ 191 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Patty’s arms were round her father’s neck, and, 
with a wheedlesome expression, her eyes looked 
up into his, and somehow Mr. Fairfield’s indig- 
nation melted away. 

“ Patty’s quite right,” declared Nan, taking 
sides with the culprits. “ Let’s all go to the 
dining-room, and then later we’ll hear about 
Patty’s heroism.” 

“ Mr. Van Reypen was just as much of a 
hero as I,” declared Patty, as, with her arm 
tucked through her father’s, she led the way 
to the dining-room, where a dainty little sup- 
per had been waiting for the return of the miss- 
ing ones. 

“ It really wasn’t a matter of heroics,” said 
Philip Van Reypen; “it was only a simple, 
plain, everyday breakdown, caused by a sepa- 
rated battery strap. But the glorious part of 
it all was Miss Fairfield’s cleverness in finding 
a remedy for the trouble, when it seemed at 
first there was absolutely none.” 

And then, while they ate salad and sand- 
wiches, the interested audience listened to a 
full description of the breakdown, told in Philip 
Van Reypen’s most graphic style. In no way 
did he try to evade the blame for the escapade; 
he frankly admitted that he ought not to have 

[ 192 ] 


A Birthday Breakfast 

taken Patty off without permission, but so win- 
ning was his frank manner, and so gleeful his 
enjoyment of the whole recital, that he won the 
sympathy of all present. 

“ It’s all right, Philip, my boy,” declared Mr. 
Fairfield, heartily. “ I don’t blame you a bit 
for yielding to the temptation to slip out of the 
gate, and of course you could not foresee that 
peculiar accident. And I am proud of my girl 
for thinking of a way to fix the thing up ! Tin- 
foil! Well, well! I doubt if I should have 
thought of that myself ! ” 

Patty smiled and dimpled at the praises show- 
ered upon her from all sides, and she caught 
an approving smile from Mr. Hepworth, which 
showed his appreciation of what she had done. 

“ But I’m very sorry to have failed in my duty 
as hostess,” she said, demurely. “ Did you 
manage to get along without me?” 

“ Oh, I was here,” said Nan, gaily, “ and I 
kept the young people in order.” 

“ We did have a lovely time, Patty,” said 
Elise; “the walk along the beach was delight- 
ful; wasn’t it, Christine?” 

“Yes,” replied Christine, slowly; “I never 
saw anything like it. I didn’t know there was 
so much beauty in the world.” 

1 193 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Mr. Hepworth smiled at' the rapturous ex- 
pression on the face of the Southern girl; and 
then he declared that it was quite time he and 
Mr. Van Reypen should depart for their own 
domicile. 

“ But you’re to come back here to-morrow 
morning for breakfast,” said Nan, hospitably. 
“ We’ll breakfast at nine, and inaugurate 
Patty’s birthday, which I can assure you is go- 
ing to be a pretty busy day for all concerned.” 

“ It’s lovely to have a birthday,” sighed 
Patty as, a few moments later, she went up the 
broad staircase with her arms around Elise and 
Christine, who were on either side of her. 

“ And this is such a lovely continuous perform- 
ance,” said Elise. “ We’ve had a lot of fun 
already, and the birthday isn’t really begun 
yet.” 

“ Well, it has really begun,” said Patty, “ be- 
cause it’s after midnight, and so it’s already 
to-morrow; but we won’t have any more cele- 
bration until breakfast is ready. So good-night, 
girls, and be sure to be up on time for my birth- 
day breakfast.” 


The girls obeyed this parting injunction, but 
Patty herself overslept, and it was half-past 

[194] 


A Birthday Breakfast 

eight in the morning when she opened her eyes 
to find her two girl friends hovering over her. 

“Wake up, sleepy-head! ” said Elise, pulling 
Patty’s curls. “ I say, Patty, how jolly it is 
for you to sleep out here! But don’t you al- 
most freeze?” 

“ Oh, no, indeed! I have so much bed-cover- 
ing that I sleep warm as toast; but I love to 
feel the sea air blow on my face.” 

Patty’s sleeping veranda was almost like a 
room. Partially enclosed on three sides, the 
front was open to the sea. There were broad 
wicker blinds to be drawn at will, but, unless in 
case of a very strong sea breeze, they were sel- 
dom drawn. 

The girls were in their kimonos, and Patty sent 
them flying as she sprang up herself. 

“Go on, you two, and finish dressing; I’ll be 
ready before you are, now!” 

Elise and Christine scampered away, and Patty 
began to dress with all speed. And by nine 
o’clock she went downstairs, fresh and dainty, 
in a white, embroidered muslin frock, with knots 
of light-blue ribbon. 

Elise and Christine also wore white lingerie 
dresses ; Elise’s being much befrilled and 
adorned, while Christine’s was far more sim- 
[ 195 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

pie. But each was suited to the type of girl 
who wore it, and when Nan appeared, also in a 
white gown, it was a picturesque quartette that 
stood on the veranda looking at the sunlit sea. 

“ Here they come! ” cried Elise, as Mr. Hep- 
worth and Mr. Van Reypen appeared round the 
corner. “ And, Patty, see ! They’re bringing 
presents to you! Just look at their arms full 
of tissue paper! ” 

Sure enough, both the men carried large par- 
cels elaborately done up in tissue paper and 
bright ribbons. They came up laughing, and 
with merry birthday greetings to the queen of 
the occasion. 

“ Breakfast is ready,” said Nan. “We were 
just waiting for you. Bring those impressive- 
looking paper affairs with you, to the table; 
there’s quite a collection there already.” 

And, indeed, there was ! The whole party 
took their seats at the large round table, and 
at Patty’s place was a veritable mountain of 
white-wrapped parcels. 

“ Pm overcame ! ” she exclaimed. “ It’s quite 
enough to have all you lovely people come to 
visit me, without having gifts besides! ” 

“ Do open them, Patty! ” cried Elise. “ I’m 
crazy to see what they are ! ” 

[ j 96 ] 


A Birthday Breakfast 

“ Just for that I’ll open yours first, Elise,” 
said Patty, laughing. “Which is it?” 

“ This one,” replied Elise, touching a large 
parcel; “and it’s perfectly heavenly, Patty! I 
did it, every stitch, myself ! ” 

“ I did every stitch of mine, too,” murmured 
Roger, “ if that makes a present more ac- 
ceptable.” 

Patty untied Elise’s gift, and it proved to be 
an embroidered muslin hat, very frilly as to 
brim, and ornamented with tiny, pink-satin rose- 
buds. 

“How lovely!” cried Patty. “Thank you, 
a thousand times, Elise. The idea of your mak- 
ing those billions of stitches for poor, wuthless 
me!” 

“Wouldn’t you make one for me?” asked 
Kenneth, “ if it’s a mark of such devoted friend- 
ship?” 

“ I’ll make you two,” declared Elise, with a 
smiling glance at him. “ Put it on, Patty; let’s 
see how it looks.” 

So Patty put on the pretty frilled hat, and 
it formed a most appropriate frame aroun ( d her 
golden halo of hair, and her flushed rose-leaf 
face. She had never looked prettier, and every- 
body present gave back an answering smile to 
[ 197 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

the dancing eyes and dimpled mouth that chal- 
lenged it. 

Philip Van Reypen said, “ By Jove ! ” under 
his breath, and Roger, who overheard, mur- 
mured, “Yes, and then some! ” 

Then Patty unwrapped her other gifts. 
Christine’s came next, and it was a beautiful 
water colour of her own, in a simple, appro- 
priate frame. 

“ It’s exquisite, Christine dear,” said Patty, 
“ and I just love it! How you are getting on! 
This is a real work of art, isn’t it, Mr. Hep- 
worth? ” 

“ It is truly good work,” replied Gilbert Hep- 
worth, and the approving glance he gave Chris- 
tine brought the colour to her cheeks, and made 
her drop her eyes. 

“ Dor*’t tell her how lovely it is,” said Patty, 
laughing; “ Christine can’t stand praise in pub- 
lic. Wait till I get you alone, girlie, and then 
you’ll see if I have a grateful nature! ” 

“ Oh, open mine next ! ” cried Roger. u If 
you’re going to take us apart and tell us of 
your gratitude alone, I want to go right 
now ! ” 

“You can’t,” said Patty. “You have to be 
thanked right before all the rest of the people ! 

[ 198 ] 


A Birthday Breakfast 

But this is great! You know I love these crazy 
things.’’ 

Patty had opened Roger’s gift, and it was a 
grotesque bronze figure, representing some 
strange Japanese god. It was fascinating in its 
very ugliness, and was a really beautiful speci- 
men of Japanese craft. 

“ You’re not eating any breakfast, Patty,” said 
Mr. Hepworth, suddenly. “ Let me undo the 
next parcel, while you try some of this delicious 
omelette. I can vouch for its quality.” 

“ All right,” said Patty, “ I am starving. And 
as a reward of merit, Mr. Hepworth, I’ll let 
you untie your own gift.” 

“ Good! I love to be in the limelight! Now 
this is mine, and may you enjoy it many times 
when I am far away.” 

Then Mr. Hepworth displayed a very beau- 
tiful and complete automobile lunch basket, with 
fittings for two. It was of the finest design 
and workmanship, and the appointments were 
of the newest and best. 

“Just what I want!” cried Patty. “Now 
I can go out for a whole-day picnic. And it’s 
such a lovely picnic basket! Mr. Hepworth, 
you do think of the loveliest things!” 

The grateful glance that Patty gave him was 
[ 199 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

met by one equally friendly, and, in order to 
escape drawing further attention to himself, 
Mr. Hepworth quickly opened the next parcel. 

This proved to be Philip Van Reypen’s gift, 
and, as it was being opened, he said: “ I, too, 
should have liked to bring you a really worth- 
while gift; but I felt, Miss Fairfield, that Pm 
too much of a stranger to indulge in anything 
but the conventional 4 books, candy, or flowers.’ 
So I have brought you only a box of candy, but 
I hope you will have many happy returns of 
to-day, when I shall be an old friend, and can 
give you anything I choose.” 

He looked enviously at the other men present, 
who had known Patty so much longer than he 
had; but, when his box of candy was finally 
released from its wrappings, everybody ex- 
claimed in admiration. For it was by no means 
a simple box, but was really a French jewel case, 
whose various compartments were lined with 
tufted blue satin, and, though now filled with 
bonbons, were intended to hold trinkets. The 
outside was of French brocade, decorated with 
gold filigree and tiny French flowers. Alto- 
gether it was an exquisite piece of handicraft, 
and yet Mr. Van Reypen had, after all, only 
presented the conventional “ box of candy.” 

[ 200 ] 


A Birthday Breakfast 

Nan was greatly pleased at his cleverness. She 
had liked Philip Van Reypen from the first, and 
he had proved himself a cultured and intelligent 
gentleman in every respect. 

Kenneth’s gift was a fan; a point-lace mount, 
with pearl sticks. He had showed taste in the 
selection, and Patty was greatly pleased with 
it. Indeed, she was enraptured with all her 
lovely gifts, and fairly bubbled over with en- 
thusiastic thanks. 

“ This is my present, Patty,” said Nan, pro- 
ducing a very long box. “ It was too big to 
put on the table with the others, so please ac- 
cept it, with the wish that it may prove useful 
some day.” 

The long box contained a white-lace parasol, 
which was just the thing to be carried with 
Patty’s pretty summer costumes. 

“ Oh, Nan, what a duck you are! ” she cried. 
“ I suppose this is from you and father both, as 
I don’t see anything else from him.” 

“ Not so, not so, my child,” said Mr. Fairfield, 
taking a small box from his pocket. “ On your 
nineteenth birthday I want to give you a gift 
all by myself.” 

He handed Patty the box, and in it was a pearl 
ring. It was a beautiful pearl, and not too large 
[ 201 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

for a young girl to wear. Everybody admired 
it, and Patty slipped it on her finger, and then, 
holding her lace parasol open above her head, 
she fanned herself with Kenneth’s fan. As she 
still wore Elise’s embroidered hat, she made a 
pretty picture of a typical summer girl. 

“ You look like a girl on a calendar,” said 
Roger; “rather fussily gotten up, but pictur- 
esque in a way ! ” 

They all laughed at Roger’s speech, which 
really fitted the case, and then, breakfast being 
over, they gathered up Patty’s treasures and 
adjourned to the hall. 


[ 202 ] 


CHAPTER XV 


A MORNING SWIM 

(( \T OW,”said Nan, “we must lay our plans. 

IX We’re going to celebrate Patty’s birth- 
day, all day long; but there isn’t very 
much time in a day, after all, so you must all 
choose what you think would be the most fun 
to do. We’re going to the Country Club for 
luncheon, which is a motor trip of about twenty 
miles. Then we’ll come back, and this evening 
there will be a little dinner dance, which is, 
of course, the real birthday party. Now you’ve 
about two hours before we start- this morning. 
What do you want to do?” 

“ I’m for a dip in the ocean,” declared 
Philip Van Reypen. “ Does that hit anybody 
else?” 

“Me!” exclaimed Roger, and, “Me, too,” 
declared Elise. 

“ I’d love to bathe,” said Christine, “ if it isn’t 
too cold. Is the water chilly, now, Patty? ” 

“It is a little,” admitted Patty; “at least, 
jt was day before yesterday. I haven’t been in 
[ 2 ° 3 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

since. But to-day is a whole lot warmer. I 
don’t believe it will be too cold, Christine.” 

“ Let’s all go in,” proposed Elise, “ and then, 
if it is too chilly, we can turn around and come 
right out again.” 

This plan suited, and the girls ran away for 
their bathing suits. 

Patty’s was white, trimmed with light blue, 
and was exceedingly becoming. Her gold curls 
were tied up in a light-blue silk handker- 
chief, from which a few ringlets persisted 
in escaping, though she kept tucking them 
back. 

“Let them hang down, Patty,” said Roger; 
“ the salt water won’t take the curl out! ” 

“ No,” said Patty, laughing, “ it makes it curl 
tighter than ever ! ” 

“ I envy you that,” said Christine. “ I always 
wanted curly hair.” 

“ You needn’t,” said Patty. “ Your soft, sleek 
bands are much better suited to your face than 
my corkscrews would be.” 

Mr. Hepworth laughed at this, for Patty’s 
curls when wet turned into veritable corkscrews, 
which hung from her temples like those of an 
old-fashioned belle. 

Christine’s rather plain bathing suit was of 
[204] 


A Morning Swim 

navy blue, trimmed with white braid, but Elise 
was gorgeous in a suit of scarlet and black, with 
her hair tied up in a red bandanna. 

Nan’s suit was entirely of black, and was both 
pretty and becoming; and, as Mr. Van Reypen 
surveyed the group, he said: “ Well, you are a 
bunch of naiads! You look like one of 
Sorolla’s pictures, except that we haven’t any 
of his pumpkin-coloured light and purply-green 
shadows.” 

“H’m!” commented Hepworth; “ much you 
know about Sorolla’s work, if you express it in 
those terms.” 

“ Well, you see I’m not an artist,” said Van 
Reypen, for Mr. Hepworth’s tone was so good- 
natured he couldn’t feel annoyed. 

“Who can swim?” Philip went on. “I’m 
for a long dash out to that farthest buoy.” 

“ I can swim,” returned Patty, “ but I won’t 
go as far out as that buoy. I’ll swim part 
way.” 

“ Come on, then;” and the two splashed into 
the breakers. Patty was a good swimmer, and 
there was not much surf that morning, so she 
had no trouble in keeping up with Philip for 
a fairly good distance. Then she said: “Now 
I’m going to turn back, Mr. Van Reypen. I’ve 
[ 205 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

learned by experience that it is better to turn 
back while we can.” 

Van Reypen looked at her reproachfully as 
they swam slowly side by side. “ You called 
me Philip, last night,” he said. 

“I know it;” and Patty smiled roguishly; 
“ but, you see, that was under stress of a great 
emergency. I scarcely realised what I was do- 
ing, — and I hope you’ll forgive me.” 

“ I’ll forgive you only on condition that you 
never call me Mr. Van Reypen again, and that 
you give me permission to call you Patty.” 

“Aren’t you demanding a great deal?” 

“ Yes, I am, indeed; but you are so generous- 
minded that I have a hope of your consent.” 

“ I’ll race you to shore for it,” said Patty. 
“ If you win, first names go; if I win, we shall 
continue with the more formal names.” 

“All right; it’s an unfair advantage, but I’m 
going to take it. Of course, I can beat you 
swimming to shore, but I’ll lag behind a little, 
and let you think you’re winning, and then pass 
you with a grand finish.” 

“Oh, I don’t know!” said Patty, teasingly, 
and then they both headed toward shore and 
swam rapidly. 

As he had proposed, Philip kept a few lengths 
[ 206 ] 


A Morning Swim 

behind her, meanwhile gasping and shouting 
that he was almost exhausted, and that he feared 
he could never reach land. 

Patty knew this was merely joking, and that 
soon, with a few strong strokes, he would pass 
her and come in a long distance ahead. But 
she had no intention of being beaten so easily. 
When nearly halfway to land, she saw Ken- 
neth swimming toward her. As they met, she 
said, “Turn round and swim with me, Ken; 
quick! ” 

He did so, and Patty went on, talking rapidly: 
“ I want you to do something for me, Ken. 
Let me go on, and you turn and delay Mr. Van 
Reypen. I don’t care what you do, — talk to 
him, duck him, or tease him in any way, — but 
somehow or other keep him back until I reach 
shore, and don’t let him know you’re doing it 
purposely.” 

“ All right, count on me;” and Kenneth turned, 
and circled leisurely around, until he came face 
to face with Philip Van Reypen. “ Hello! ” he 
said. “You’re a ripping good swimmer! I 
want to show you a new stunt I learned lately. 
Mighty few could appreciate it, as I know you 
can.” 

“ Some other time, Harper,” hastily spoke Mr. 

[ 207 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Van Reypen. “ I want to speak to Miss Fair- ' 
field just now.” 

“ Oh, she won’t mind,” said Kenneth, taking 
care to keep directly in Van Reypen’s way. 

“ You see, you start sideways and then ” 

“ Oh, I say, Harper, wait till some other time ! 
Let me pass, please. I’ll be back in ten minutes, 
and glad to learn your new trick.” 

“Well, you needn’t be stuffy about it! ” 

“ Oh, I’m not stuffy, my boy, only ” 

“ Then I’ll show you now. You see, you swim 
on one side;” and, before Van Reypen realised 
what was happening to him, Kenneth had 
grasped his arm and gently but steadily pushed 
him around until he was headed out to sea 
again. 

At this moment Patty reached the beach, as 
Kenneth saw out of the corner of his eye, and, 
suddenly changing his tone, he said: “By 
George! Van Reypen, I believe you were in 
earnest ! In that case, I’m sorry I insisted. Of 
course, I’ll teach you the trick some other time ! 
Go ahead, if you want to speak to Miss Fair- 
field. She’s right over there.” 

Thus disarmed, Philip couldn’t answer Ken- 
neth angrily, and, suppressing his chagrin, he 
said: “All right, old chap, and thank you. 

[ 208 ] 


A Morning Swim 

We’ll go for a swim together, to-morrow morn- 
ing, and then I’ll be glad to learn your new 
stunt.” 

Kenneth felt a little ashamed of his subter- 
fuge, for he was of a frank, honest nature. But 
he had done it for Patty, and he felt sure that 
the whole thing was some merry jest. 

Freed from his tormentor, Van Reypen struck 
out swiftly for the shore, and the next mo- 
ment, throwing himself on to a big breaker, he 
was washed up on the beach at Patty’s side. 

“How do you do, Mr. Van Reypen?” said 
that mischievous damsel, smiling at him under 
her corkscrew curls. 

“It wasn’t fair!” growled Philip; “I was 
delayed. Harper stopped me, and I couldn’t 
get away from him ! ” 

“ Oh, that’s a pretty excuse,” chaffed Patty. 
“ I heard you say that you were almost ex- 
hausted and out of breath, and you were puffing 
like a whale ! ” 

“Oh, that was mere foolery! I didn’t mean 
a word of it! I’m not a bit blown. I could 
swim for miles! ” 

“ That all sounds very well, but I think you’ll 
have to admit that I won the race.” 

“ The race is not always to the swift, — but 
[209] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

I admit gracefully that you did reach the beach 
first, and I herewith relinquish all hope of ever 
being allowed the privilege I had requested.” 

“Oh, don’t give up too easily!” said Patty, 
though she well knew that his speech was not 
made in earnest. 

“ Come along, Patty! ” cried Nan. “ Unless 
you want to go motoring in a wet bathing suit, 
you must scamper into some dry clothes. Come 
along with us, we’re all going now.” 

The crowd of bathers dispersed, and, as there 
was need for expedition, in less than a half an 
hour they reassembled, clad in civilian’s garb 
and all ready for the picnic. 

The girls’ light frocks were covered with vo- 
luminous motor-coats, and they all wore pretty 
motor-hoods or bonnets of soft-coloured silks. 

Three cars were necessary to accommodate the 
luncheon party, and it was quite a gala pro- 
cession that started from “ The Pebbles.” 

First was Mr. Fairfield’s own big car, driven 
by Miller, and containing Mr. Fairfield and 
Nan, Christine and Mr. Hepworth. 

This was followed by a runabout, which Mr. 
Fairfield had engaged for the occasion, and 
which was driven by Roger. 

This car held two in front, with a small rear 

[ 210 ] 



“I can’t tell you how sorry I am that I got 
you into this scrape” ( page 182) 


i 

* 























































* * < 

' 

•* 









f 

- 























A Morning Swim 

seat for another. Philip Van Reypen sat next 
to Roger, and Elise sat alone in the small back 
seat, saying she had always wanted to try such 
a position, but had never before had oppor- 
tunity. 

“ Hang on, then, Sis,” warned Roger, as they 
started, “ for I don’t want to stop and run back 
to pick you up all the time.” 

“ No danger,” said Elise, merrily; “but it is 
fun! I feel like an enthroned princess.” 

“ You look like one, too,” said Van Reypen, 
getting in beside Roger; “ and we are your 
two Gold-sticks in Waiting.” 

The Swift Camilla brought up the rear of the 
procession, and in it were Patty and Kenneth. 
Kenneth had begged for this arrangement, as 
he said he had not yet had a ride in Patty’s 
new car. 

“ Neither have I,” declared Mr. Hepworth, 
and, after a moment’s consideration, Patty said 
that she would take Kenneth half the way and 
then exchange him for Mr. Hepworth. 

“ And nothing could be fairer nor that,” de- 
clared Kenneth, as he accepted his fate. 

It was a perfect day for motoring — bright, 
clear, and not too cool. Spring flowers were 
in bloom in the gardens, and palms and shrub- 
[ 2ii ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

bery, carefully kept, made the lawns pictur- 
esque. 

“ Ideal place to spend a summer,” said Ken- 
neth to Patty, as they flew along, “ and great 
roads for motoring.” 

“ Yes, it is,” agreed Patty. “ The others want 
to go to the mountains in August, but I’m just 
crazy to stay here all summer. Perhaps I can 
persuade them to go off by themselves, and 
leave me here. I could have some one to 
chaperon me.” 

“ Of course you could; that would be gay. I 
expect Aunt Rachel would come, if you wanted 
her.” 

“ She’s a dear old thing, — nobody I’d like 
better ! But I haven’t dared broach the sub- 
ject yet. Don’t say anything about it.” 

“ All right, I won’t. But I say, Patty, what 
was that deal you had on with Van Reypen? 
He was awful mad when I held him up out in 
the water.” 

“Oh, it was nothing but foolishness!” said 
Patty, laughing at the recollection. “ I prom- 
ised him that, if he beat me to the shore, we’d 
call each other by our first names, — otherwise 
not.” 

“ That was a nice wager ! ” exclaimed Ken- 
[ 212 ] 


A Morning Swim 

neth, in disgruntled tones. “ Why, Patty, you 
don’t know that chap well enough to call him 
by his first name ! ” 

“Nonsense, Ken; I’m not grown-up and 
formal.” 

“ Well, he is ! ” 

Patty laughed mischievously. “ He is 
grown-up, but he isn’t a bit formal.” 

“ I should say not ! I can tell you I 
didn’t like the way he carted you off last 
night ! ” 

“Oh, Kenneth, what a goose you are! You 
know the whole story of that performance. He 
couldn’t help the strap breaking, and, if my fa- 
ther didn’t bother about it, I don’t think you 
need to ! ” 

“ That’s the same as telling me it’s none of my 
business.” 

“ Well, I didn’t mean it exactly that way, but, 
all the same, it isn’t! Don’t you like Mr. Van 
Reypen? ” 

“Yes, I do; he’s a rattling good chap. But 
I don’t want him coming down here and mo- 
nopolising you for motoring and swimming and 
everything else. I s’pose you’ll give him every 
other dance, to-night.” 

Patty drew down the corners of her lips and 

[213] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

made a sobbing sound in her throat, as if she 
were on the verge of bursting into tears. 

“ D-don’t sco-o-ld me, K-kenneth!” she 
pleaded, in a voice which she meant to sound 
tearful, but which was choking with laughter, 
and didn’t fool Kenneth a bit. 

u You’re a little coquette, that’s what you are, 
Patty; and I won’t stand it! I knew you long 
before Van Reypen did, and he’s not going to 
cut me out, I can tell you ! ” 

“ Good gracious, Kenneth ! I should say he 
wasn’t! Why, he’s only an acquaintance, and 
you’re one of my oldest friends ! ” 

“Of course I am;” and Patty’s hearty tone 
made Kenneth feel a little ashamed of his flash 
of jealousy. 

“ Well, then, don’t let me hear any more such 
foolish talk! Here I am taking you ridy-by in 
my dear little car, and, instead of appreciating 
it, you scold me all to pieces! ” 

“ Forgive me, Patty; I am a brute. But 
somehow Van Reypen has such a way with 
him. He acts as if he owned you and this 
car ” 

“ And ‘ The Pebbles ’ and father and Nan,” 
supplemented Patty, going off into a peal of 
laughter. “ Well, Ken, I can’t see any way for 
I>i4] 


A Morning Swim 

you to get even with him but to act as if you 
owned us all yourself.” 

“ I can’t do it,” said Kenneth; “ I haven’t that 
arrogance of nature.” 

“What a pity! ” said Patty, looking at him, 
with laughing eyes. 


[ 215 ] 


CHAPTER XVI 


A CHANGE OF PARTNERS 
HEIR foolish little squabble over, Patty 



and Kenneth were as good chums as 


ever, and they skimmed along in the 
same satisfied friendliness they always felt when 
together. 

All too soon, in Kenneth’s opinion, they had 
traversed half their journey, and reached the 
place where it had been arranged that Patty 
was to change her companion and give Mr. 
Hepworth his ride. 

The big car was waiting for them as they 
came along, and, though Kenneth said “ Con- 
found it ! ” to Patty, under his breath, no one 
else heard it, and he exchanged places with 
Hepworth with a smiling, agreeable counte- 
nance. 

, The transfer being effected, the two cars 
started on again. 

Patty drove, and Mr. Hepworth watched her 
with admiration and interest. 

“You’re a wonderful child,” he said; “you 


[ 2J 6 ] 


A Change of Partners 

can do almost anything you turn your hand 
to.” 

“Indeed, I can’t,” returned Patty; “I can’t 
paint like Christine.” 

“ Oh, well, that’s a special talent of hers. 
Your special talent is your singing. But I mean 
you can do all sorts of other things, like guess- 
ing puzzles and running motor cars.” 

“Yes, so I can; but don’t forget that, if you 
hadn’t guessed that last charade for me, and 
an unfair one at that, I never should have 
had this car. So you see the car is partly 
yours.” 

“ Well, I’ll take out my share in going riding 
with you.” 

“ Wouldn’t you like to drive it yourself, some 
day, Mr. Hepworth? You could take Chris- 
tine out.” 

“ Christine ! I’d rather take you.” 

“ Rather take me than Christine Farley? ” 
Patty’s blue eyes opened wide, and it was plain 
to be seen that her surprise at this statement 
was unfeigned, and by no means a bit of co- 
quetry. But it piqued Gilbert Hepworth, and 
he answered, a little shortly: 

“You know I would! Why do you pretend 
otherwise? ” 


[217 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“ I don’t know any such thing ! Christine is 
your special friend.” 

“And aren’t you my special friend?” 

“Why, not exactly;” and Patty’s cheeks dim- 
pled as she smiled. “ Pm your special friend’s 
daughter. Isn’t daddy your special friend?” 

“Yes, of course;” and Mr. Hepworth looked 
decidedly cross, as he always did when re- 
minded of the difference of age between him- 
self and Patty, — a thing which Patty never 
seemed to forget. 

“ But just now,” he went on, “ you’re so 
absorbed in your special friend, Van Rey- 
pen, that you have no thought of anybody 
else.” 

“For the land’s sake!” exclaimed Patty; 
“ and that’s an expression I use only on the 
strongest provocation ! But I’ll tell you some- 
thing, Mr. Hepworth,” — and she looked at him 
squarely, — “ when Kenneth Harper was with 
me just now, he held me up on account of what 
he called my friendship for Mr. Van Reypen! 
Now, if you’re going to do the same thing, I 
give you fair warning, I’ll put you out and I’ll 
take Philip Van Reypen in this car! So there, 
now ! ” 

Mr. Hepworth laughed at the flashing eyes, 
[218] 


A Change of Partners 

and the rose-flushed cheeks that faced him, very 
much like an angry kitten. 

“ Forgive us both, Patty,” he said, smiling 
in spite of himself at the ridiculous situation. 
“ You see, the truth is Kenneth and I are both 
jealous of your new friend. And you’ll prob- 
ably find that Roger is in the same unenviable 
frame of mind.” 

“ Fiddle-de-dee, and fiddlesticks, and fiddle- 
strings!” exclaimed Patty; “you people all 
make me tired, you do. As you know, I adore 
all my friends, and I want them all to adore 
me, and, when I make new friends, they’ve all 
got to adore each other, too, and that’s all there 
is about that! But don’t you worry over old 
Roger. He’s fallen a victim to the charms of 
Mona Galbraith. I never was so surprised in 
my life! You know, I don’t like that girl very 
much, and last night, as soon as Roger met her, 
they immediately fell into a deep friendship ! ” 

“Why don’t you like her?” 

“ Oh, she isn’t exactly our sort. She’s a lit- 
tle forward, a little pushing, and a little lack- 
ing in certain varieties of good taste. But she’s 
warm-hearted and generous, and, if she had had 
proper training, would have been an awfully 
nice girl.” 


[2191 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“Can’t you help her, Patty?” 

“ Yes, Mr. Hepworth, I can; but I don’t want 
to.” 

“Why don’t you want to?” 

“Only because Pm a horrid thing! I know 
that, if I begin to help her, she’ll want to be 
helped every minute in the day, and I’ll have my 
hands full. I suppose Pm lazy and selfish, but 
I do hate to take that girl’s bringing-up on my 
shoulders.” 

“I don’t blame you altogether, Patty;” and 
Gilbert Hepworth smiled at her gravely, yet 
kindly. “ But don’t you exaggerate a little bit? 
I know what you mean. I saw last night what 
insistent ways Miss Galbraith has, and I know 
her demands on your time and attention would 
be incessant. But, Patty, think how much t you 
have! — not only worldly goods, but love and 
care and protection and interested sympathy. 
Isn’t it your duty to do what you can for 
this strange girl, thrown so definitely in your 
way? ” 

“She is in my way,” said Patty, pouting; 
“ very much so ! ” 

“ And do you realise,” went on Mr. Efep- 
worth, very seriously now, “ that, just because 
of all this love and praise and appreciation you 
[ 220 ] 


A Change of Partners 

receive, you run a pretty strong chance of be- 
coming selfish and self-centred?” 

“ Mr. Hepworth ! I do believe you are lectur- 
ing me ! ” 

“ That’s exactly what I’m doing. I’ve done 
it before, and never has it failed to produce a 
good effect. I’m very fond of you, Patty, as 
you know perfectly well; and I cannot bear to 
see your sunny and generous nature spoiled by 
indolence or thoughtlessness on your part. Now 
I’m going to drop this lecture right straight 
now. I’ve said all that is necessary, and I know 
it has sunk in your heart deeply, as I intended 
it to. And I know that you will overcome your 
dislike and disinclination for the work, but that 
you will honestly and definitely try to do all 
you can for that girl, and be all you can to 
her.” 

For a moment Patty was silent, and then she 
said, in a low voice: “ You are right, Mr. Hep- 
worth, as you always are. I understand all you 
have said, and all you have meant, and I make 
you no promises; but I promise myself to do all 
I can for Mona Galbraith, to help her in the 
way she needs help.” 

“That’s my little trump!” exclaimed Mr. 
Hepworth, in a voice which betrayed a thrill 
[221 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

of real emotion, and then he quickly changed 
the subject and called Patty’s attention to a 
picturesque bit of landscape in the middle dis- 
tance. 

The rest of their ride they chatted in a lighter 
key, with no reference to duty, and, when they 
reached the Country Club, they were both 
laughing merrily as they joined the rest of the 
party. 

“ I’m as hungry as a hunter ! ” cried Patty, 
springing from her car. “ I wish I’d brought 
Mr. Hepworth’s luncheon basket, well filled, 
along with me.” 

“ You’ll have luncheon enough, Puss,” said her 
father, “ and, as we’re a little later than I ex- 
pected, we’ll have it served right away.” 

The Country Club House was an elaborate 
one, with broad verandas and large, high-ceil- 
inged halls and rooms. The walls bore the 
usual decorations of antlers and other trophies 
of the chase, and the appointments were luxu- 
rious and comfortable. 

Patty had never been to just such a place be- 
fore, and was interested in it all. 

“Can’t we become members, father?” she 
asked, as its plan and scope were explained to 
her. 


[ 222 ] 


A Change of Partners 

“ Next year, perhaps, my dear. But this sum- 
mer we’ll content ourselves with coming over 
here occasionally, by the courtesy of my 
friends.” 

Luncheon was served in a small dining-room, 
which they had quite to themselves. The viands 
were most attractive and proved more than ac- 
ceptable to the hungry motorists. 

After luncheon, they wandered about the beau- 
tiful grounds, and some of them went for a 
row on the lake, while some others had a short 
game of tennis. 

Patty had such a good time that she was sorry 
when her father called them to go home. 

“ We just fly from one kind of fun to an- 
other!” exclaimed Elise, as they made ready 
to start. “ Mayn’t I ride home with you, 
Patty?” 

“ No, no, Miss Farrington,” said Philip Van 
Reypen, overhearing her; “ it’s my turn to ride 
with Miss Fairfield. We’re going to put you 
and Mr. Harper in the roadster, with Mr. Hep- 
worth behind to see that you don’t fall out.” 

As usual, Mr. Van Reypen’s audacity carried 
the day; and, too, Elise had no objections to 
driving home with Kenneth. This left Roger 
and Christine to go in the big car with the 
[ 223 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

two elder Fairfields, and the arrangement was 
fairly satisfactory all around. 

But, as Patty and Mr. Van Reypen were about 
to start, Roger came up to speak to them. 

“ You must play fair and square, Patty,” he 
said. “ You divvied up the ride, coming over, 
and you must do the same, going back. You 
take Mr. Van Reypen as far as that halfway 
place, and then you’ve got to exchange him for 
me. 

“All right, Roger, I will; it’s only fair that 
all you boys should have a spin with Camilla 
in turn.” 

“ Oh, I don’t know,” said Philip Van Reypen, 
as they sped away. “ I don’t think you need 
to change partners on this short trip.” 

“ ’Deed I will! ” declared Patty. “ I’ve had 
enough of being scolded because I don’t play 
fair. Now when we get to that halfway place, 
you know where I mean, that tumble-down house 
with the vines all over it, I’m going to' put you 
out and take Roger in.” 

“ All right,” said Philip, humbly. “ But you 
won’t do it until we do reach the tumble-down 
old house, will you?” 

“ No, I won’t,” agreed Patty. 

After a while, Philip asked that he be al- 
[ 224] 


A Change of Partners 

lowed to drive, and, as Patty was quite willing 
to be an idle passenger, they changed seats. 

“ Pm sorry that I have to call you Miss Fair- 
field,” said Philip, resignedly, as they were once 
more spinning along. “ It’s so formal it takes 
away all the pleasure of our conversation.” 

“ Too bad,” said Patty, demurely; “but do 
you know I rather like formality, Mr. Van 
Reypen.” 

“ I’m glad you do, Miss Fairfield. It’s a 
charming day, isn’t it?” 

“Yes, Mr. Van Reypen; delightful,” returned 
Patty, and then the conversation lagged. 

“ I want to tell you something,” said Patty, 
suddenly. “ I don’t feel quite honest, and I 
want to ’fess up.” 

“ What is it, Miss Fairfield? ” 

“ Why, it’s just this. You know this morn- 
ing, when Kenneth delayed you, and you lost 
our race? ” 

“ Yes.” 

“ Well, I asked him to delay you, on pur- 
pose.” 

“ You did? You little rascal ! Why, that was 
downright dishonesty! Aren’t you ashamed of 
yourself? ” 

“Yes, I am,” said Patty, hanging her head, 

[ 22 5 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

and looking like a lovely penitent. “ Can you 
ever forgive me?” 

“ No, I never can! ” Van Reypen’s tone was 
very stern, and Patty was amazed at the seri- 
ous way he took what she thought was a joke. 

“ Oh, truly! can’t you forgive me?” 

“ No ! I never shall ! ” and he glared into 
Patty’s upturned face with an expression so 
savage that it suddenly dawned on Patty that 
he was fooling, after all! 

With a beseeching glance and a drooping 
curve to her lips, Patty then murmured, in low 
tones, “ Can’t you ever forgive me, — Philip? ” 

“ Patty! Of course I can! And there’s noth- 
ing to forgive, you little rogue ! But now you’re 
going to call me Philip, all the time, aren’t 
you ? ” 

“ I thpothe I am,” said Patty, foolishly, and 
in an idiotic tone, and then they both giggled. 

“And now can you be entertaining?” asked 
Patty, briskly; u and not just sit up and remark 
that it is a charming day?” 

“ But the day is more charming than ever! ” 
declared Philip. “ And I must emphasise the 
fact.” 

“ But, goodness gracious me! wherever is that 
halfway place? Have we passed the tumble- 
[226] 


A Change of Partners 

down old house with vines clambering all over 
it?” 

“ No, we haven’t passed it yet,” said Philip, 
innocently. 

“ We ought to reach it soon, — Pm sure it’s 
time.” 

“ How complimentary you are ! Does the way 
seem so long? ” 

“ It doesn’t seem so long, but it seems strange. 
I don’t remember these houses. Did we pass 
them on the way over? ” 

“ You must have been so busy driving the car 
you didn’t see them.” 

“ Nonsense ! I’ve never been this way before 
in my life! You’ve taken the wrong road, and 
you’ve done it on purpose, — Philip ! ” 

“So I have, Patty! At least it’s a different 
road, but it isn’t a wrong road. It’s just as 
direct to ‘ The Pebbles ’ as the other road, but 
it has the advantage of not passing by the clam- 
bering house with the tumble-down vines ! ” 

“ Oh, you’ve done it, so we’d slip Roger! ” 

“Of course I did! Clever of me, wasn’t it? 
Oh, you haven’t the entire monopoly of clever 
ideas, if you did mend your motor car with 
chocolate ! ” 

Philip was gleefully chuckling at his success- 

[ 227 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

ful ruse, and, when Patty realised that she 
couldn’t help herself, she laughed, too. 

“ Roger won’t mind, anyway,” she said; “ he’s 
such a good-natured old duck. And I’ll make 
it up to him by taking him out for the whole 
day to-morrow, on a picnic with my new lunch 
basket. I’ve been wanting to try that lovely 
basket, and see if it will carry a picnic for 
two.” 

Philip’s face suddenly lost its jovial smile. 
“ There’ll be a ‘ picnic for two,’ if you cut up 
any such trick as that! And you and young 
Farrington will see what kind of a picnic I 
mean! Why, Patty, you’re hostess of this 
house party of yours. You can’t desert all your 
other guests, — and go skylarking off with only 
one of them.” 

“ Unless it’s you,” said Patty, with a demure 
glance at him. 

“ Yes, unless it’s me,” said Philip, smiling 
broadly. 


[228] 


CHAPTER XVII 


A DINNER AND A DANCE 

W HEN Patty and Philip reached home, 
a little later than the others, Roger 
was nowhere to be seen. 

“ Where’s Roger? ” asked Patty, as she 
jumped out of the car, for she wanted to make 
peace with him at once. 

“ He’s gone over to ‘ Red Chimneys,’ ” said 
Elise, laughing. “ He’s taken a terrible fancy 
to that Galbraith girl.” 

“ I told you we needn’t mind about Roger,” 
said Patty to Philip. “ Pm glad he does like 
Mona, though I confess I was a little surprised 
at first.” 

Very* soon Roger came back to “ The Peb- 
bles,” bringing Mona with him. 

“Hello, people!” the girl called out, as she 
neared the veranda. “ You kept terribly sly 
about your birthday, didn’t you, Patty? But 
Mr. Farrington told me last night, and father 
telegraphed to New York for a present for me 
to give you, and it’s just arrived by special 
1 229 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

messenger. How do you like it?” and Mona 
tossed a small box into Patty’s lap. 

The others crowded round to see, and Patty 
opened the box, to find a beautiful jewel pen- 
dant hung on a slender thread of a platinum 
neck-chain. The pendant was a fair-sized 
sapphire, surrounded by tiny diamonds, and 
was of fine design and workmanship. 

“ Mona! How lovely! ” cried Patty. “ But 
I can’t accept such a valuable present from 
you.” 

“ Nonsense ! It’s a mere trinket. I’m de- 
lighted to give it to you, and father was 
delighted to get it for me, so you’ll simply have 
to take it. I was only afraid you wouldn’t think 
it pretty ! ” 

“Pretty? Why, it’s perfectly beautiful!” 
and Patty clasped the chain around her neck 
at once. She was a little uncertain how to 
take the gift, but she could not so hurt Mona’s 
feelings as to refuse it, and, if she accepted it, 
she might as well do it gracefully. She cast an 
enquiring glance at Nan, who, as usual, came 
to her aid. 

“It’s a lovely present, Patty; and Mona is 
most kind and generous to give it to you. I’m 
sure we all appreciate it.” 

[ 230] 


A Dinner and a Dance 

Thus tacitly advised, Patty thanked Mona 
prettily, and then Nan declared it was time to 
think about dressing for dinner. 

“ You’re coming, Mona, aren’t you?” said 
Patty, for she knew Nan had invited her. 

“ Oh, yes, indeed; I’ll be the first one here and 
the last one to leave. Trust me for that ! ” 
and, with a merry laugh, Mona ran away 
across the two lawns to her own house. 

“She’s all right!” said Roger, looking after 
her. 

“Yes, she is,” said Patty, generously; and, 
indeed, Mona had risen in her estima- 
tion since Roger showed such approval of 
her. 

And then the group separated, to meet again 
at the birthday dinner. 

The three girls gathered in Patty’s room for 
a short chat first. 

“ What are you going to wear, Patty? ” asked 
Elise. 

“ Oh, I have a new blue affair that’s perfectly 
dear. What’s yours, Christine?” 

“ White,” said Christine, simply. “ I can’t 
wear many colours.” 

“ You don’t need to, you angel person,” said 
Patty, kissing her. “ You’ll look heavenly in 

[ 231 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

white. I’ve never seen you in evening dress. 
It is evening dress, isn’t it, Christine?” 

“ Yes; that is, it’s a round neck, but it’s very 
simple.” 

“You’re simple yourself,” said Patty; “sim- 
ply sweet! Isn’t she, Elise?” 

It was Patty’s delight to make Elise admire 
Christine, and of course it wasn’t possible, when 
thus appealed to, for Elise to do anything but 
acquiesce in Patty’s opinion. 

“ And now, honey, what’s your gorgeous 
creation that’s to dazzle the eyes of the coun- 
try people down here?” said Patty. 

“Mine is green,” returned Elise; “and it’s 
a good enough frock, but I know it won’t be 
in it with yours, Patsy.” 

“ Nonsense ! It’s probably far handsomer. 
Aren’t we all getting grown-up, to have dinner 
parties and low-neck gowns! Though mine 
isn’t exactly low neck, it’s just cut out sort of 
round.” 

“ Yes, a Dutch neck,” said Elise; “ that’s what 
mine is.” 

“ But still it does seem grown-up,” went on 
Patty, musingly, “ to have a birthday dinner 
and dance, instead of just an ordinary party.” 

“ Well, you are grown-up when you’re nine- 
[ 232 ] 


A Dinner and a Dance 

teen,” said Christine. “ I’m twenty, and I think 
I’m grown-up.” 

“ That’s because you’re Southern,” said Patty. 
“We stay little girls a lot longer up here. And 
I’m glad of it, for I hate being grown-up. I 
wish I could wear pig-tails and hair ribbons! 
Anyway, I’m not going to act grown-up to-night; 
my party’s going to be a frolic, not a formal 
affair.” 

“ How many are coming? ” asked Christine, 
who had not entirely overcome her shyness with 
strangers. 

“ Well, there’s about ten of our own crowd, 
and Nan has invited about ten more of the 
Spring Beach people. The two Sayre girls are 
awfully jolly; you’ll like them. And Jack Pen- 
nington is a dear boy, and so is Guy Martin. 
And then there’s Dorothy Dennison and her 
brother, — and Phyllis Norton, — oh, quite a 
bunch of them ! And, Christine, don’t you 
go cutting up any of your shrinking violet 
tricks ! I want you to be the belle of the ball ! ” 

Elise looked up in surprise, but, seeing the de- 
termined expression on Patty’s face, she said 
nothing; and, if she had her own opinion as to 
who should be belle of the ball, she expressed 
it only to herself. 


[ 233 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

An hour later, the three girls went downstairs 
together. Patty in the middle, with her sky- 
blue chiffon frock, was looking her best. The 
pale blue suited her golden hair and pink 
cheeks, and the semi-low-cut neck was exceed- 
ingly becoming to her rounded throat and 
chin. 

Elise’s green dress was far more elaborate, 
but her brilliant beauty seemed to call for an 
ornate setting. 

Christine’s gown was perhaps the prettiest of 
all. Of white crepe-de-chine, it hung in soft, 
straight folds, and around the throat was a 
delicate pearl embroidery. A girdle of pearl- 
work, with long ends, gave a finishing touch; 
and on Christine’s willowy figure, and with her 
Madonna face, the gown was appropriate and 
effective. 

The boys, who were waiting in the hall, ex- 
claimed in vociferous compliment as the girls 
came slowly down the staircase, and declared 
that such a trio of beauty had never before 
been seen. 

“Nonsense!” cried Patty. “Don’t you talk 
to us as if we were grown-up young ladies! 
We’re only a little bit more than schoolgirls. 
Just because Pm nineteen, Pm not going to be 

C 2 34 ] 


A Dinner and a Dance 

treated with dignity! Roger, will you dance 
the first dance with me?” 

Roger looked embarrassed, and, though he 
tried to speak, he hesitated and stammered. 

“ Why, Patty, — that is, — I’d be only too de- 
lighted, — but ” 

“ But you’ve already asked Mona ! ” cried 
Patty, with a teasing laugh. “ I knew it per- 
fectly well, Roger, and I only asked you to 
tease you. And I’ll be perfectly content with 
the second, so save that for me.” 

“ Indeed I will, and thank you kindly,” said 
Roger, and then Philip Van Reypen and Ken- 
neth both said at once, “ May I have the first 
dance, Patty?” 

“ No, indeed,” she returned, laughing gaily at 
them ; “ I’m not going to give my first dance 
to any of my house party. There are several 
Spring Beach boys coming, and I shall dance 
with whichever one of those asks me first.” 

Patty’s own particular decided wag of the 
head accompanied this speech, and the men 
knew it would be of no use to coax her. 

And then the other guests began to arrive, and 
the great entrance hall of “ The Pebbles ” was 
a scene of merry laughter and chatter, and 
greetings and introductions on all sides. 

[235 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Under Nan’s orders, the whole place had been 
beautifully decorated. In the hall and rooms 
were garlands and banks of flowers, and tall 
palms shading alcoved nooks. The verandas 
were hung with Japanese lanterns, and a few 
of these were scattered among the shrubbery, 
to light the way for any who might be inclined 
to stroll on the lawn. 

At eight o’clock, Patty, taking her father’s 
arm, led the way to the dining-room. Nan 
and Mr. Hepworth followed, and then the 
others in merry procession. 

Dinner was served at small tables, as the num- 
ber of guests was too large to be accommodated 
at one. Each table was beautifully decorated 
with flowers and candles, and pretty place-cards 
as souvenirs of the occasion. 

Of course there was a birthday cake, and when 
at last Patty cut it, and each guest had partaken 
of it, the dinner was over, and the dance about 
to begin. 

Several musicians were on the broad landing, 
halfway upstairs, and played just the right kind 
of music for young people’s merry dancing. 

Jack Pennington asked Patty for the first 
dance, and, a little to his surprise, she graciously 
granted it. He had hardly hoped for this hon- 
[236] 


A Dinner and a Dance 

our, but he didn’t know that Patty had planned 
it thus in order to avoid selecting one of her 
house party in preference to the others. So 
she danced with Jack Pennington, and after- 
ward, as they sauntered out on the veranda, all 
the other men clustered around Patty, begging 
for dances, until her programme was full, and 
many of the dances had been divided. Of 
course, as Patty was hostess, she would nat- 
urally receive much attention, but her own 
merry and charming personality made her 
easily the most popular girl present, though 
the others were almost equally so. Handsome 
Elise was a general favourite, and Christine’s 
delicate Southern beauty attracted many ad- 
mirers. 

Mona was resplendent in bright pink silk, 
elaborately ornamented. She wore too many 
jewels, as always, but her whole-souled, good- 
tempered gaiety, and her hearty enjoyment of 
the occasion, made her attractive to many. 

After a dance with Philip, Patty and he wan- 
dered out on to the veranda, and sat for a mo- 
ment on the railing. 

“ Beautiful show, Patty,” he said; “ one of the 
prettiest parties I ever saw. These lanterns are 
gorgeous. Why don’t you keep them here all 
[ 237 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

the time? Sets off the house wonderfully. 
Come down on the lawn for a little stroll.” 

“ I’m afraid you’ll kidnap me,” said Patty, 
mischievously. 

“No; honest I won’t. Though I’d like to. 
Say, let’s get Camilla out, and go for a little 
spin. Will you? ” 

“ Indeed, I won’t! We got out of that other 
scrape pretty well. But I’m not going to take 
any chances again! Beside, the next dance is 
Kenneth’s. I’d better get back where he can 
find me.” 

“ Oh, he’ll hunt you up, all right! Hello! 
Who’s this?” 

Some one came running toward them through 
the semi-darkness. It was Mona, out of breath 
and laughing. “ Hide me ! ” she cried. “ Hide 
me! I’m running away from Roger!” 

“ How extraordinary,” laughed Patty. “ You 
are a coquettish young thing, aren’t you, 
Mona?” 

“ Hide me, Patty,” urged Mona. “ That’s a 
dear. Let me get behind you two.” 

Mona slipped around behind Patty and Philip, 
but, anxious to help her, Patty said: “ Back into 
the arbour, Mona; we’ll keep in front of you. 
Hurry! here comes Roger.” 

[238] 


A Dinner and a Dance 

“Have you seen Miss Galbraith?” asked 
Roger, coming up to them, entirely unsuspi- 
cious of Mona’s whereabouts. 

“ We’ve just strolled out here,” said Patty, 
innocently. “ Why don’t you look on the 
veranda, Roger? Does she know you’re look- 
ing for her? ” 

“Of course she does! On the veranda, you 
say? ” and Roger was off like a shot. 

Patty and Philip, stifling with laughter, turned 
back to Mona, who stood with her finger on her 
lips, cautioning silence. 

And as, in obedience to her gesture, they were 
still, they all distinctly heard a voice speaking 
on the other side of the arbour. The speaker 
could not be seen, and the hearers had no in- 
tention of eavesdropping, but it was Kenneth’s 
voice, and his tone was tense and angry. 

“ I tell you, Elise,” he said, “ I don’t believe 
Patty ever said that! ” 

“ She did,” said Elise, with the accent of one 
who reiterates. 

It was Philip Van Reypen’s impulse to walk 
round the arbour at once, and make their pres- 
ence known, but Patty silently put her hand on 
his arm and led him toward the house. 

Mona followed, also silently, for she realised 

[ 239 ] 


Patty’s Mptor Car 

at once that Patty was disturbed at what she 
had heard. The words in themselves might 
mean a mere trifle or nothing at all; but the 
seriousness of Kenneth’s voice, and the petulant 
insistence of Elise, seemed to forebode trouble. 

“What does it mean?” whispered Philip, as 
they neared the house. 

“ Nothing, — nothing at all,” said Patty, but 
she spoke in a low voice and her lip was quiv- 
ering. She had divined intuitively that Elise 
had told Kenneth something to make him angry, 
and she felt sure that Elise had done it pur- 
posely, and that she had misrepresented the 
facts. 

“Shall I take you into the house?” asked 
Philip, gently. “ I think you said your next 
dance is Harper’s.” 

“ Not just yet,” said Patty, who was so hurt 
by Elise’s treachery that she could not fully con- 
trol her quivering lip and the tears that came 
to her eyes. 

Mona had disappeared, and so Philip said, 
“ Let us stroll once more round the drive, and 
then it will be all right.” 

His voice was so pleasant, and his manner so 
quiet, that it acted as a balm to Patty’s shat- 
tered nerves, and she looked up gratefully, and 
[ 240 ] 


A Dinner and a Dance 

smiled at him through two teardrops that trem- 
bled in her blue eyes. 

“ You’re awfully good,” she said, “ and I’m 
not going to be silly. Never mind it. But 
aren’t you engaged for this dance? ” 

“ Yes, to Miss Galbraith,” he replied, smil- 
ing; “but I feel quite sure she has forgotten 
it in her game of hide-and-seek with young 
Farrington.” 

“ But you must go and find her, all the same,” 
said Patty, suddenly mindful of etiquette. 
“ Come ! let us hurry to the house. I’m all 
right now.” 

They quickened their pace, and Philip talked 
with a cheery banter, so that, when they reached 
the veranda, Patty was her own smiling, merry 
self, and she felt profoundly grateful to Philip 
because he had not again referred to the bit of 
conversation they had overheard. 


[241] 


CHAPTER XVIII 


MONA INTERFERES 

P ATTY found Kenneth in the doorway, 
awaiting her. 

“ Here you are,” he called out, cheer- 
ily enough, and Patty hoped it was only her 
imagination that made her think his manner 
a little constrained. He was gentle and kindly 
as ever, but he was not in merry mood, and 
Patty felt this at once. 

They began to dance. Their steps suited per- 
fectly, and, though Patty herself was such an 
accomplished dancer that she could adapt her 
step to any one, yet she always specially enjoyed 
a turn with Kenneth. But now he seemed dif- 
ferent, and, though he danced as perfectly as 
usual, and so did Patty, there was a certain con- 
straint in his manner and he spoke only occa- 
sionally, and then the merest commonplaces. 
Patty realised fully that there was something 
wrong, but she also knew she could do nothing 
then and there to set it right. She couldn’t ask 
Kenneth what Elise had said to him, and she 
[242] 


Mona Interferes 

couldn’t think of any other way to open the 
subject. 

So, after a few turns round the room, she was 
really glad that another partner claimed her, 
for this was one of the dances that she had 
divided. 

Kenneth left her, with a simple “ Thank you, 
Patty,” and, turning on his heel, went out of 
the dancing-room. In the hall he met Mona, 
who said, abruptly and impulsively: “ Oh, Mr. 
Harper! I haven’t any partner for this dance. 
Come for a walk round the lawn, won’t you? ” 

“Wouldn’t you rather dance?” asked Ken- 
neth, who was in no mood for conversation. 

“ No,” said Mona, smiling wilfully, “ I want 
to walk out under the lanterns on the lawn. 
They’re so lovely and Japanesy.” 

Mona had a wheedling way with her, and 
Kenneth smiled a little as he escorted her down 
the steps and along a side path through the 
grounds. 

“ You think I’m a queer girl, don’t you, Mr. 
Harper? ” she began, as they strolled along un- 
der the trees. 

“ If I did, you couldn’t expect me to tell you 
so, Miss Galbraith,” he parried. 

“ Well, even if you haven’t thought so before, 
[ 243 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

you will now;” and Mona gave a determined 
shake of her head. “ But I don’t care if you 
do. I want you to answer me a question. What 
did Miss Farrington tell you that Patty Fair- 
field had said, and you returned that you didn’t 
believe Patty said it?” 

Now Kenneth was an exceedingly well-man- 
nered young man, but he was certainly taken 
aback by this question flung at him so suddenly 
by a comparative stranger, and he was tempted 
to reply so plainly that she must think him rude. 
But, after a moment’s hesitation, he modified 
his intentions, and only said: 

“ Pm sorry to have you think me queer, Miss 
Galbraith, but, even at that risk, I must de- 
cline to answer such a very personal question. 
And, too ” 

“ And, too,” repeated Mona, stopping and 
turning to look squarely at him, “ you were 
going to say, that Pm an eavesdropper, and, 
except for your inability to be so rude, you 
would tell me so.” 

Kenneth was amazed at the girl’s intuition, 
but he said honestly, “ You are very nearly 
right, Miss Galbraith.” 

“Very nearly right? Pm exactly right, and 
you know it! Now let me tell you, Mr. Ken- 
[ 244 ] 


Mona Interferes 


neth Harper, I don’t care one snip-jack for 
your opinion of me, and you may think just 
exactly what you choose ! But I hav^ another’s 
interest at heart, and I’m perfectly justified in 
asking you the question I did ask. Please tell 
me.” 

At the last words Mona’s voice sank to a 
pleading whisper, and there was such heartfelt 
urgency in her voice that he was moved against 
his will. 

“ Why do you want to know, Miss Gal- 
braith ? ” he asked, more gently. 

They were walking on again now, and Mona 
looked straight before her as she replied: “I 
cannot tell you that, but I beg of you to tell 
me what I ask. Was it anything about me?” 
Mona had no idea that it was, and this was a 
purely strategic enquiry. 

“ No, it was not about you, — and now I hope 
you’re satisfied.” 

“ No, I’m not satisfied. Was it about you? ” 

“ Yes, it was.” 

“ And was it something mean Patty had said 
about you? ” 

“ Yes, it was.” 

“ Mr. Harper, you are not a true friend. You 
know Patty Fairfield couldn’t say a mean thing 
[ 245 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

to save her life ! And especially about you, one 
of her best friends ! ” 

“ Oh, I don’t think I’m that,” said Kenneth, 
in a cynical tone. 

“ You are, too ! Now, are you sure Patty said 
this thing? ” 

“ Elise said so,” muttered Kenneth, who had 
forgotten he was talking to a stranger, because 
Mona had assumed such compelling intimacy. 

“ And are you sure it was mean? ” 

“Well, rather! You can judge for your- 
self! ” Kenneth’s indignation got the better of 
his self-restraint, and he told Mona frankly the 
truth. 

“ Once, when Patty went away, I gave her a 
little locket as a parting gift, and she thanked 
me and said she liked it. Now, Elise tells me 
that Patty told her she didn’t care a snap about 
that locket, and she only wore it once or 
twice.” 

“And you told Miss Farrington that you 
didn’t believe Patty said that?” 

“Yes; but Elise insisted that she did say it, 
and somehow I believe Elise. Her words had 
the ring of truth.” 

“ Thank you, Mr. Harper, for your confi- 
dence;” Mona spoke very earnestly. “ Believe 
£246] 


Mona Interferes 


me, you have done no harm in telling me this. 
You think it is none of my business, but it is. 
You think me a queer girl, and I am. But let 
me tell you one thing, Patty Fairfield is a true, 
sweet, loyal nature, sound to the core; and Elise 
Farrington is not above a trifling deception, 
now and then, if she wishes to gain a point. 
Please take me back to the house.” 

They walked the short distance in silence, 
Kenneth secretly thinking that Miss Galbraith 
was certainly queer; and at the same time won- 
dering if Elise could have made up that story. 
But, as he had said, there was something in 
the tone of Elise’s voice, as she repeated Patty’s 
words, that convinced him they were true. 
With a sigh, he went up the steps by Miss Gal- 
braith’s side, and then they separated, to join 
other partners. 

The dance went on, with its merriment and 
gaiety, and of course no one would have known 
that either Patty or Kenneth had a troubled 
mind. Elise was in specially gay spirits, and 
Mona seemed to be enjoying herself thor- 
oughly. 

“ It was a lovely party! ” declared Elise, after 
it was over and the last guest gone. “ It was 
[ 247 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

just perfect. There wasn’t a flaw! Isn’t that 
so, Patty? ” 

“ I had a good time,” said Patty, a little 
wearily; “ but I’m awfully tired, and I’m going 
right straight to bed. Good-night, everybody; 
good-night, Roger, — good-night, Ken.” 

She nodded pleasantly to the young men, and 
started up the stairs at once. Elise and Chris- 
tine followed, and, when they reached the up- 
per hall, Patty bade them a brief but pleasant 
good-night and went straight to her own 
room. 

“ I don’t know what to do,” she thought to 
herself, as she took off her pretty blue frock. 
“ I can’t let the matter go without saying a 
word, — and I can’t say anything, because that 
would put Elise in the wrong, and she is my 
guest! I’ll just have to live it down, I sup- 
pose.” 

But it wasn’t so easily lived down. The next 
morning, though Patty tried to be especially 
cordial to Kenneth, he avoided her whenever 
possible. Not noticeably to the others, — but 
Patty realised that he did not seek her com- 
pany, or sit by her on the veranda, or ask to 
ride with her in the motor. 

The morning dragged along, nobody seeming 
[248] 


Mona Interferes 

to have energy enough to propose any sort of 
fun. 

“ Patty’s birthday seems to have been too 
much for this crowd,” said Nan, laughingly. 
“ I propose that you men all go for a swim, 
and let these exhausted girlies take a little nap. 
I think they danced too late, and I sha’n’t al- 
low such dissipation again.” 

“ I feel fine, Mrs. Fairfield,” declared Elise. 
“ I never get tired dancing. Do you, Chris- 
tine? ” 

“ No, I didn’t get tired, — I thought it was 
a lovely party. I very seldom have an oppor- 
tunity to be in such gaieties.” 

“ But you’re tired, aren’t you, Patty? ” asked 
Elise, as Patty sat on the veranda rail, lean- 
ing listlessly against a pillar. Before she had 
time to answer, however, a servant came walk- 
ing along the drive, whom Patty recognised as 
one of the “ Red Chimneys ” footmen. He 
brought a note, which he handed to Patty, 
and then, with a deferential bow, he went 
away. 

Patty asked permission to read the note, 
glanced it over, and then tossed it to Roger, 
saying, “We seem to be especially favoured! ” 

The note was an invitation for Patty and 

[ 249 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Roger to come over to “Red Chimneys” at 
once, but no one else was asked. 

“Come on, Patty,” said Roger; “the others 
will excuse us for a little while, I’m sure.” 

So Patty and Roger walked away by the short- 
cut across the two lawns, and found Mona in 
the doorway awaiting them. 

She smiled as she put her arm around Patty, 
and said, “ You’re the one I want, — I asked 
Mr. Farrington for a blind.” 

“Well, I like that!” exclaimed Roger, look- 
ing incredulous. 

“ Well, I’ll tell you,” went on Mona, smiling 
at him; “ the truth is, I want to see Patty pri- 
vately on a very important matter. I didn’t 
want to send for her alone, because it looked 
so conspicuous. But our private conference 
won’t last more than ten minutes, and, if you 
can entertain yourself that long, I’ll take care 
of you afterward. Here’s the morning paper, 
and do try to be patient.” 

Mona didn’t wait for Roger’s response, but, 
with her arm still around Patty, led her 
to the library, took her in, and closed the 
door. 

“ Patty,” she began, “ I’m a queer girl, and 
you know it, — and I know it. You don’t like 
[250] 


Mona Interferes 

me very much, but I like you, and I’d do any- 
thing for you.” 

“ Good gracious, Mona ! What are you get- 
ting at? ” 

“ I’ll tell you exactly what I’m getting at, — 
and I’ll tell you right now. I may be queer, 
but I can see a hole through a millstone when 
anybody I love is concerned. Now, you know 
when you and Mr. Van Reypen and I were in 
the little arbour last night, we overheard some- 
body talking on the other side of the thick 
vines.” 

“ Really, Mona, I must beg of you not to go 
too far, or I may lose my temper ! ” 

“ Oh, no, you won’t, Patty Fairfield! You 
just sit still and listen. Now you know, as well 
as I do, we weren’t eavesdropping, — any of us, 
— but we all heard what Mr. Harper said to 
Miss Farrington.” 

“Well, what of it?” Patty’s face was pale 
and her lips were set hard together. She was 
thoroughly angry at what she considered 
Mona’s unwarrantable interference, and she felt 
she could stand but little more. 

“ Just this of it ! I asked Mr. Harper what 
it was that Miss Farrington told him about 
you.” 


[251 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

“Mona Galbraith! You didn’t!” 

“I certainly did; and, what’s more, he told 
me.” 

“Kenneth told you?” said Patty, incredu- 
lously. 

“ Yes, he did. And this was it. But perhaps 
you don’t want to know what it was.” 

“ Of course I do! Mona, tell me, quick! ” 

“ Well, he said that Miss Farrington told 
him that you didn’t care a snap about the locket 
he gave you and that you only wore it once 
or twice.” 

“What?” exclaimed Patty. “I don’t quite 
understand. The locket Kenneth gave me? ” 

“ That’s what she said.” 

“ Oh, for goodness’ sake ! I understand now ! 
That locket ! Why, the idea ! Say, Mona, 
you’re a trump to find this all out ! ” 

“ You didn’t think so at first.” 

“No, I didn’t; and Pm sorry! You have 
played the part of a real friend, and you’ve 
done more for me than you realise! But, oh, 
Mona ! how could Elise do a thing like 
that?” 

“ She’s that sort, that’s all. You know as well 
as I do she likes Kenneth Harper an awful lot, 
and she knows that he likes you better than 
[ 2 52 ] 


Mona Interferes 

he does her, so she’s trying to set him against 
you.” 

“ Set Kenneth against me? She couldn’t do 
it! Dear old Ken, we’re too good friends for 
that ! But, Mona, how did you find out all 
this? You scarcely know these people.” 

“ Oh, I sized up that Farrington girl the min- 
ute I saw her ! She isn’t a bit like her brother. 
He’s an all-round, good sort. And the poor 
chappie is still out there reading the paper! 
He must be devouring the advertisements by 
this time. Now, Patty, forget my part in this 
affair, skip over home, make it up with Mr. 
Harper, and do whatever you think best with 
that Farrington girl.” 

“ I can’t do anything with her, because she’s 
my guest; but I can make it up with Ken in 
just about two minutes ! And, as for you, 
Mona, I don’t know how to thank you ! ” 

“ Oh, cut it out! I’d do heaps more than 
that for you, if I only had the chance! Fly 
now, for you must know how impatient I am 
to go and talk to my new beau, Mr. Far- 
rington.” 

So, after an embrace that was hearty enough 
at least to indicate her gratitude, Patty flew. 


[ 253 ] 


CHAPTER XIX 

PHILIP’S PICNIC 

O N Patty’s return she found the veranda 
almost deserted. Christine and Mr. 
Hepworth, Elise and Mr. Van Reypen 
had gone down to the beach. Mr. Fairfield had 
gone to the city, and Nan was chatting with 
Kenneth. 

“ Ducky stepmother of mine,” said Patty, as 
she wound her arm around Nan’s neck, “ if 
you don’t want to monopolise this young man, 
I’d like to borrow him for a short time.” 

“ You may take him, Patty,” said Nan, with 
a resigned sigh. “ But I suppose you know you 
will leave me alone in a cold world! Your 
father has gone to New York.” 

“ But, Nan, you ought to have some time to 
yourself. Solitude is an awfully good thing 
once in a while. Don’t you sort of feel the 
need of it now? ” 

“ Yes, I think I do,” said Nan, laughing; “ so 
you may have Kenneth for a while. What are 
you going to do with him? ” 

[ 254 ] 


Philip’s Picnic 

“Take him for a spin,” said Patty. “Come 
on, Ken.” 

Kenneth hesitated for a moment. “ Don’t 
you want to go spinning with Patty, Mrs. Fair- 
field?” he said. 

“ No, thank you; I have some household mat- 
ters to attend to. One can’t have a house party 
without occasionally having an eye on domestic 
affairs. So, good-bye. Be home in time for 
luncheon.” 

Soon Patty and Kenneth were flying along the 
beach road, and the Swift Camilla was living 
up to her highest reputation. Patty was driv- 
ing, and Kenneth was polite and amiable, but 
not merry. 

After a time, Patty slowed down speed a 
little. 

“ Kenneth,” she said, abruptly, “ I’ve some- 
thing to say to you, and I’m going to say it 
right straight out. You know what Elise told 
you that I said about you, or rather about the 
locket you gave me? ” 

“ Yes, I know; and, by the way, it seems that 
just about everybody else knows, too.” 

“ Never mind that,” said Patty, knowing that 
* the boy was annoyed because Mona had inter- 
fered in the matter. “ The point is, Ken, that 

[255] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

what Elise told you I said wasn’t entirely 
true.” 

“ Not entirely true? How much of it was 
true? Since you seem to know all about her 
conversation with me, I suppose she told you.” 

“No, she didn’t. Now listen, Ken; I hate, 
awfully, to talk against Elise, but I’ve simply 
got to stand up for my own rights in this thing. 
I did tell her that I only wore that locket once 
or twice, but I didn’t tell her that I didn’t care 
anything about it. For I do. I care a great 
deal about it.” 

“Then, why don’t you wear it oftener?” 

“ I’ll be perfectly frank with you, Ken. It’s 
just because that locket with your picture in 
it was too, — well, too personal a sort of pres- 
ent for you to give me, or for me to wear.” 

“ You took it ! ” 

“ Yes; after I’d asked father, and he told me 
I might, but you know I went away with Elise 
then, to Paris, and every time she saw it she 
pretended that it meant a great deal more than 
it did. Of course, it was only a token of our 
boy and girl friendship, but she chose to pre- 
tend it meant romance and sentiment and all 
those things.” 

“ But since it meant and still means our boy 
[256] 


Philip’s Picnic 

and girl friendship, I think you might wear it 
sometimes.” 

“ I see I’ll have to tell you the whole story,” 
said Patty, with a little sigh. “ Well, last 
Christmas Elise bought a seal ring for Roger, 
and then, at the last minute, she decided she’d 
like to give it to you, and she asked my advice 
about it. I told her it was too personal a 
present for a girl to give a young man, and 
I didn’t think she ought to do it. It wasn’t 
that I didn’t want her to give you a nice pres- 
ent, but I didn’t think it looked right for 
her to give you that kind of a one. I 
told her to get you books, or something like 
that.” 

“ What’s all this got to do with the locket? ” 

“ Why, Elise said that I needn’t talk about 
personal presents, after I had accepted from 
you a locket with your picture in it. And so I 
told her that that was very different, as we were 
old friends, and, anyhow, I had only worn it 
once or twice. But I didn’t say I didn’t care 
anything for it.” 

Kenneth’s face cleared, and he turned toward 
Patty with an honest, beaming smile. 

“It’s all right, Patty; I see through it now. 
Elise did try to make me think you had said 
[ 257 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

something mean, but you didn’t, and I felt 
sure you hadn’t.” 

“ You didn’t feel quite sure, Ken.” 

“ No, I’m ashamed to say I didn’t, at first, 
but that was because I was so hurt at what I 
was told you had said. But it’s all right now, 
and I know you’ll forgive me, like the trump 
you are. I’d grasp your strong right hand, 
if I weren’t afraid that would make you steer 
us both into the ocean.” 

“ I’ll consider it grasped. And I’m down- 
right glad that we’re good chums again, for I 
hate to have squabbles with anybody, and I 
almost never do.” 

“ I know it, Patty; you’re a sweet-tempered 
little thing, and I was a mean-spirited coward 
to believe for a minute that you’d say anything 
unkind about any of your friends.” 

“ Especially you, Ken;” and Patty flashed him 
a glance of comradeship. “ But it was Mona 
who fixed this thing up for us.” 

“ Isn’t she a queer girl? She’s so blunt, and 
yet very few girls could have done what she 
did for you, Patty.” 

“ I know it; and I do appreciate it, and I shall 
always love her for it. But, Ken, what can I 
say to Elise?” 


[258] 


Philip’s Picnic 

“Don’t say anything, Patty; that’s the best 
way.” 

“ And, if she ever tries again to lower me in 
your esteem, what then?” 

“She won’t succeed! I’ve had my little 
lesson.” 

“Good for you, Ken! If you ever have 
reason to think that I said anything mean 
about you, you come and ask me about 
it, — because Mona may not be around next 
time.” 

“ I will, indeed, Patty.” 

And then, peace being thoroughly established, 
the trouble passed out of their minds forever, 
and the old chummy relations were resumed. 
They had a beautiful drive along the coast, 
and, when they got back to “ The Pebbles,” it 
was nearly lunch time. They found the whole 
crowd assembled on the veranda, and Mr. Van 
Reypen seemed to be spokesman at a very im- 
portant conference. 

“ It’ll be the most fun of anything you ever 
saw!” he declared. “A real old-fashioned 
picnic ! None of your modern country-club af- 
fairs. But a tablecloth spread on the ground, 
and sandwiches and devilled eggs, and a camp- 
fire to boil the coffee, and lemonade, and hopper- 

[ 2 59 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

grasses hopping in the pie, and everything just 
as it should be ! Oh, gorgeous ! ” 

“Why sit on the ground?” asked Christine. 
“ Aren’t there any benches in the picnic place? ” 

“ We’re not going to a picnic grounds, little 
girl,” Mr. Van Reypen informed her; “we’re 
going to a real, live woods; to the darksome 
depths of a dingley dell.” 

“Tell us all about it!” cried Patty, as she 
and Kenneth joined the group. 

“Entirely my own invention!” cried Philip; 
“ it’s a picnic Pm arranging for to-morrow, 
and I’d be honoured if you two would deign 
to attend.” 

“We will that!” exclaimed Patty; “but I 
heard something about grasshoppers. Do we 
have to have those? ” 

“No; if you prefer, you can have ants or 
spiders. But you can’t have a real picnic with- 
out some such attachments. Now listen to what 
I’ve planned! It’s just too lovely! I’ve en- 
gaged three runabouts from the amiable garage 
man over forninst. Camilla will make four, 
and, if Mr. and Mrs. Fairfield will lead the 
parade in their own car, we’ll have an imposing 
procession.” 

“Not I! ” cried Nan, gaily. “ If you young 
[ 260 ] 


Philip’s Picnic 

people want to go on this entomological picnic, 
Pve not the slightest objection. And I’ll see 
that you have enough sandwiches and devilled 
eggs to feed both yourselves and the grasshop- 
pers, but I’ll have to ask you to excuse my hus- 
band and myself from attending.” 

“ The only regrets I’ve had so far,” said 
Philip; “anybody else who don’t want to 
go?” 

But the others all declared that the plan was 
perfect, and they wouldn’t miss the picnic for 
anything. 

“ Now, I’ll run the whole show,” went on 
Philip. “ You understand it’s my picnic en- 
tirely, and I’m host, and master of ceremonies, 
and chief engineer. I shall provide the entire 
luncheon, and, with due respects and thanks to 
Mrs. Fairfield for her offer of hard-boiled eggs, 
I must decline it, as I shall get all those things 
from the pleasant-faced and generously pro- 
portioned lady who is queen of the kitchen over 
at my hotel.” 

They all professed themselves satisfied to let 
Mr. Van Reypen take full charge of his own 
picnic, and all expressed perfect willingness to 
be merely passengers. Mona was present, as 
usual, and was of course included in the invita- 
1 261 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

tion. She was enthusiastic in her delight at the 
prospect, and, quite forgetting to go home to 
luncheon, she accepted Nan’s invitation to lunch 
at “ The Pebbles.” 

The next day proved an ideal one for Philip’s 
picnic. They were to start about ten o’clock, 
for he informed them the particular dingley 
dell he had in mind was a fairly long distance 
off. 

So, promptly at ten o’clock, he came over to 
“ The Pebbles ” in a runabout, accompanied by 
a chauffeur. He was followed by two other 
runabouts, each in charge of a chauffeur. 

The picnic party stood on the veranda, not 
quite sure what the arrangements were to be, 
but laughingly declaring they were ready to fol- 
low orders. 

“ First,” said Mr. Van Reypen, “ I’ll load up 
this car;” and into the first runabout he assisted 
Miss ,Galbraith, and bade Roger Farrington 
get in beside her. Needless to say, these two 
were well satisfied, and went spinning off down 
the road. 

Next, turning to Mr. Hepworth, he asked him 
if he could drive a car. 

“ An electric? Yes,” said Mr. Hepworth. 

[ 262 ] 


Philip’s Picnic 

“ Because, if you don’t want to drive it, this 
car will hold three, and you can take, a 
chauffeur,” said Philip, who had provided for 
every emergency. 

“ No, I prefer to drive,” said Mr. Hepworth, 
quietly, and then Philip said: “All right; and 
I give you Miss Farley for a companion. Don’t 
quarrel on the way.” 

And so, with Christine, Mr. Hepworth drove 
away, and Philip turned to the others. 

“ I hardly know how to divide up the rest 
of us,” he said, stroking his chin, thoughtfully, 
“ but I’ll try it this way. Harper, will you 
take Miss Farrington in this very pretty-look- 
ing new runabout?” 

It was an awkward situation, though Philip 
didn’t know it. Elise was delighted with the 
plan, and beamed all over her face as she took 
the seat indicated. Kenneth was not at all 
pleased, and it was really with difficulty that 
he refrained from showing it. But Patty gave 
him a pleading look, as if begging him to make 
the best of the situation, and so, with what was 
apparently hearty good-will, he took his seat 
beside Elise, saying, “ All right, here goes for 
a fine ride ! ” 

Kenneth was fond of driving a car, and, not 
[263] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

owning one himself, he rarely had the oppor- 
tunity; so Patty felt sure he would enjoy the 
trip quite irrespective of who might be beside 
him. And, as Patty realised, there was no other 
way to arrange the couples from Mr. Van 
Reypen’s viewpoint, for she knew from the 
beginning that he intended to ride with 
her. 

“I declare, Pm a car short!” exclaimed 
Philip, as Kenneth and Elise drove away. “ I 
should have ordered four cars, and I only en- 
gaged three! We’ll have to stay at home! 
Shall you mind? ” 

“ No,” said Patty, mischievously, “ I don’t 
mind. I’ll read aloud to you, if you like.” 

“ It seems too bad for me not to go when it’s 
my own picnic,” said Philip, musingly. “ You 
don’t happen to know of any little motor car 
we could use, do you?” 

“ We might take Camilla,” suggested Patty, 
in a dubious tone. 

“Just the thing! Say we do? How clever 
of you to think of that! ” and, as Patty broke 
into peals of laughter at his foolishness, Philip 
flew down the steps and around to the garage, 
returning in a moment with Camilla, which 
Miller was impatiently holding in readiness. 

[264] 


Philip’s Picnic 

“ I’m going to drive,” Philip announced, 
calmly. 

“All right, I don’t care; but, then, you must 
let me drive coming home. I declare, with a 
house party, I almost never get a chance to 
drive my own car ! ” 

“Never mind! Your horrid old house party 
will soon be going, and then you can drive all 
you like.” 

“ It isn’t a horrid old house party ! It’s a 
lovely, sweet, delicious house party, and I wish 
it would stay forever!” 

“ This part of it will, if you give him the 
slightest encouragement.” 

“ Oh, I don’t want part of it unless I have it 
all ! I had no idea house parties were such 
fun. I think we’re having beautiful times, don’t 
you? ” 

“ Yes; since you’ve made up with young Har- 
per;” and Philip’s eyes twinkled. 

“ Why, what do you mean? ” exclaimed Patty, 
blushing pink. “ How did you know anything 
about it? ” 

“ I didn’t, and I don’t, and I don’t want to! 
But when I see my little hostess going around 
with a sad and forlorn expression on her face, 
and one of her guests looking as if he’d lost his 
[265] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

last friend, and then they both go for a motor 
ride and come back jubilantly chummy, — why, 
then, — I Sherlock it out that they’ve had a 
squabble and a make-up! Am I altogether 
wrong? ” 

“ Not altogether,” said Patty, demurely. 


[266] 


CHAPTER XX 


A NARROW ESCAPE 

T HE picnic was the real thing. That is, 
it was the real old-fashioned sort of a 
picnic, and it was therefore a novelty 
to most of its participants. 

Patty had been on many motor picnics, where 
elaborate luncheons were served by white- 
garbed waiters, with the same appointments of 
silver, glass, and china that she would use at 
home. But not since her Vernondale days had 
she attended this sort of picnic. There were 
no servants. The simple but appetising lunch- 
eon was spread on a tablecloth laid on the grass, 
and, true to tradition, a grasshopper now and 
then leaped in among the viands, or an auda- 
cious spider attemped to approach the feast. 
But these were few and easily vanquished by 
the brave and valiant men of the party. 

The men, too, proved themselves capable in 
the arts of fire-building and coffee-making, so 
that Patty, who was a born cook and loved it, 
found no use for her talent. So she and the 
[267] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

other girls set the table as daintily as they 
could with the primitive means at their com- 
mand, and decorated it prettily with wild 
flowers. 

“ As a rule,” said Elise, as she sat with a 
sandwich in one hand and a glass of lemonade 
in the other, “ I like silver forks and china 
plates at a picnic, but, for once, I do think 
these wooden butter plates and paper napkins 
are rather fun. What do you think, Patty?” 

“ Far be it from me to cast reflections on the 
goods my host provides, but, generally speak- 
ing, I confess I like my table a few feet above 
the over-attentive population of Mother 
Earth.” 

“Oh, pshaw, Patty!” exclaimed Philip. 
“You’re no kind of a sport! You’re a pam- 
pered darling of luxurious modernity.” 

“ Gracious ! What an awful thing to be ! ” 
cried Patty, in mock dismay. 

“ And, anyway, Patty,” said the blunt Mona, 
“ if you hadn’t put all those old weedy flowers 
on the tablecloth, there wouldn’t be any ants 
and things. They’ve mostly come out of your 
decorations.” 

“ I believe you’re right,” said Patty, laugh- 
ing. “ So the picnic is a success after all, 
[268] 


A Narrow Escape 

and it’s only our decorations that made any 
trouble.” 

Then they all ate heartily of the feast, and 
there was much laughter and merriment, and 
afterward they sat round the fire and told 
stories and sang songs, and they all declared 
it was the very nicest picnic ever was, and they 
were sorry when it was time to go home. 

“ But we must be going,” Patty said, “ for I 
promised Nan we’d be home in ample time to 
dress for dinner, and it’s a fairly long ride.” 

“Do we go back the same way we came?” 
asked Elise, looking at Philip with an arch air 
of enquiry. 

“ Go back any way you please, fair lady,” he 
replied. “ The way we came is the shortest, but 
there is a longer way round, if you prefer it.” 

“ I don’t mean that,” said Elise. “ I mean 
do we go with the same partners? ” 

“ I do,” declared Philip, “ and Miss Fairfield 
does. The rest of you may do just as you 
choose.” 

“ Then I think we’ll go as we came,” said 
Elise, with an air of satisfaction. 

The simplicity of Philip’s picnic made it an 
easy matter to pack up to go home, as there 
was little beside the tablecloth to take with 
1 269 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

them, and so they were soon ready for the 
homeward trip. 

As host, Philip sent off the other cars first, 
and, after they were all started, he stepped into 
the Swift Camilla, beside Patty, who was al- 
ready in the driving seat. 

“ Pm going to drive home, you know,” she 
said. “ Pm simply dying to get hold of this 
steering bar once more.” 

“ All right; you may drive, but let’s go round 
the other route; it’s only a little bit longer.” 

“How much longer?” 

“ Not more than a mile or two, — two at the 
most.” 

“Are you sure of that?” 

“ Positive! ” 

“All right; then we’ve time enough. Where 
do we turn off? ” 

“ At this next turn to the left. That takes 
us around past Berry Hill, and so on around 
by Blue Lake.” 

“ Oh, yes, I know the way after we reach 
Blue Lake. Here we go, then! ” 

Patty took the turn Philip had indicated, and, 
as she did so, she caught the last glimpse of the 
other three cars disappearing in the distance 
as they went home by the same road they came. 

[ 270] 


A Narrow Escape 

The road she had turned into was far more 
picturesque and beautiful, and, as this portion 
of it was new to her, she was delighted to 
see it. 

“What high hills!” she exclaimed. “Why, 
they’re almost mountains ! ” 

“Hardly that; but they are fairly high hills, 
to be so near the seashore. Don’t you want me 
to drive, Patty? This road has sharp corners, 
and around these hills it’s hard to see anybody 
coming.” 

“ No, I’ll drive and you keep a watch out. 
We haven’t met a car yet.” 

“ No, and I wonder at it. Usually there are 
lots of racers and touring cars along here. But, 
of course, it’s early in the season for them.” 

“ How is that you are so familiar with this 
locality? You seem to know all about it.” 

“ I spent a summer down here some years ago. 
That’s how I knew where that picnic ground is. 
Look out, there’s a bad place in the road! ” 

But Patty had already seen it, and was skil- 
fully steering so as to avoid it. 

“ You see everything,” said Philip, admir- 
ingly; “you’re a wonderful little motorist! I 
never saw anybody drive better than you do; 
and so easily, too. Merciful Heavens! ” 

[271 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

Patty gave a jump at Philip’s excited exclama- 
tion, and saw, straight in front of her, an im- 
mense red car at full speed. It had swung 
around a sharp angle, and could not possibly 
have been seen by them until it burst on their 
vision not twenty yards away. They had 
heard no signal, which was culpable careless- 
ness on the part of the driver of the big car, 
and perhaps Patty was equally culpable in not 
having sounded her own horn. 

But this was no time to think of such mat- 
ters, for they were really in perilous danger. 
The driver of the big car did nothing to avert 
disaster. It could not be he was indifferent to 
the awful situation; he looked more as if he 
were stunned by the sudden realisation of it. 

Patty was absolutely paralysed with fear. She 
realised fully their plight, she knew that noth- 
ing could save them from instant and terrible 
collision, and her muscles were absolutely pow- 
erless to move. 

The short distance between the two cars di- 
minished like lightning, and neither car had 
swerved from a straight line leading to the 
other. 

Patty tried to shriek, but her stiffened tongue 
gave forth no sound. 

[ 272 ] 


A Narrow Escape 

At sight of the big car, Philip Van Reypen 
was stunned also. But, in an instant, he recov- 
ered his senses, and, in another instant, he had 
shot out his right hand and, seizing the con- 
troller handle, pushed it backward with a force 
that nearly crushed Patty’s hand that held it. 
Then, grasping the steering bar with his other 
hand, he swerved the car over to the right, 
blindly trying to find the reverse lever with his 
foot. 

Then happened what Philip knew would hap- 
pen. The Camilla banged into a sheer cliff 
of rock, but took it sideways. He grasped 
Patty as the car stopped, and they were both 
jolted backward. 

By presence of mind and quick action, he had 
run the car into the cliff, causing thereby a 
minor smash-up, instead of meeting the big red 
car in a head-on collision, which would surely 
have meant fatality. 

Patty was very white, but she did not faint. 
The shock restored her numbed senses, and 
she turned to Philip with a glance of perfect 
understanding of what he had done. 

“ Oh, Patty,” he whispered, in a tense voice, 
“ thank Heaven you’re safe ! ” 

“ It was a miracle, Philip; but you did it your- 
[ 273 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

self! I knew it at the time, my brain worked 
perfectly, but my muscles were paralysed by 
fear. Oh, suppose yours had been, too ! ” 

“ I could have done better if I could have 
sensed the thing an instant sooner. For a 
second my brain wouldn’t work, and then I saw 
my way clear, like a flash, but it was too late ! 
I hadn’t time to back or to get across in front 
of the car. It was either to run into this cliff, 
or have that immense machine run into us.” 

“ It was splendid ! ” said Patty, the tears com- 
ing to her eyes; and then the reaction from the 
shock came, and she burst into violent sobbing. 

“Don’t, Patty; don’t do that,” said Philip, 
in a pained voice, and Patty looked up, smiling 
through her tears. 

“I’m not really crying,” she said; “it’s just 
a foolish reaction, and I can’t h,elp it. I’m sorry 
to be so silly, but I’m just a little hysterical 
from, — from joy, you know.” 

“ You behaved splendidly, Patty! If you had 
moved hand or foot, we would have been 
dashed to pieces. It was only because I could 
get full command of the controller and the 
steering bar that I could manage at all. If you 
had given a convulsive push the other way, — 
well, never mind that ! But I expect I crushed 
[ 274 ] 


A Narrow Escape 

your hand when I grasped the controller. I 
had to, to make sure that you didn’t jerk it the 
other way unintentionally.” 

“I guess you did hurt my hand;” and Patty 
held it up to see. Sure enough, black and blue 
bruises already appeared on fingers and palm. 

“ Poor little hand,” said Philip, taking it in 
his own. “ Pm so sorry, Patty.” 

“Don’t talk to me like that!” exclaimed 
Patty, “ as if I were a molly-coddle! Pm glad 
you smashed my hand, as that was the only 

way to save us from ” 

“ From certain death,” said Philip, gravely. 
And then they heard a motor coming behind 
them, and, looking up, found a good-sized tour- 
ing car, which was about to pass them, but had 
stopped at their side. 

“ Want help? ” called out a cheery voice, and 
Philip answered, “ Indeed, we do ! ” 

The stranger jumped out of his car, and came 
over to inspect the Camilla. 

“ I ought to get out,” whispered Philip. “ Are 
you brave enough to sit here alone, Patty? ” 

“ Of course; Camilla can’t run away now! ” 
Philip and the other man looked about to see 
what had really happened to Patty’s car. There 
was not so much damage as it seemed at first, 
[ 275 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

for, with the exception of a smashed mudguard, 
and some dents and bruises, nothing was broken, 
except the shaft drive axle. But this, of course, 
rendered the car helpless as to her motor, 
though her running gear was all right. 

“ I’ll give you a tow,” said the stranger heart- 
ily. “ Where do you want to go? ” 

“ To Spring Beach,” answered Philip. “ Are 
you going that way?” 

“ I can go that way as well as not, and, when 
people come as near death and destruction as 
you people did, I think it’s only human to take 
you home. Perfect marvel, though, how you 
escaped with so little injury to the car! ” 

“ Perfect marvel how we escaped at all! ” said 
Philip. “ I did what I could, but, when I see 
the narrow margin we had on either side, I 
wonder we weren’t smashed to bits, anyway.” 

“ It is a wonder! ” said the stranger. “ Most 
marvellous thing I ever saw, — and I’ve seen 
lots of motor accidents. My name’s Hampton, 
— Henry Hampton, — and now, if you’ll help me 
rig up the tow, I’ll pull you home.” 

And so, after a short time, Philip and Patty, 
still seated in the damaged Camilla, went swiftly 
along, towed by kind-hearted Henry Hampton’s 
powerful car. 


[276] 


A Narrow Escape 

Of course, when they reached “ The Pebbles,” 
an anxious crowd awaited them. 

“ It’s getting to be sort of a habit, our get- 
ting home late, with an accident to report,” said 
Philip, as they turned in the gate, and Patty 
couldn’t help smiling, though her nerves were 
still tingling from the recent shock, and from 
the realisation of their wonderful escape. 

The laughing crowd on the veranda grew sud- 
denly still as they saw a strange motor enter the 
gate with the Camilla in tow. 

“What has happened?” cried Nan, as they 
came within hearing distance. 

“We’re all right, father!” called out Patty, 
anxious to allay the look of fear and consterna- 
tion on her father’s face. 

“Patty, dear child, what is it?” exclaimed 
Mr. Fairfield, as he lifted Patty, still white 
and trembling, out of the car. 

“An accident, father, — an awful accident! 
And Philip was the hero this time; he saved 
my life, and he did it in a most wonderful way! 
I’ll tell you about it sometime, but I can’t now;” 
and Patty fell limply into her father’s arms. 

“ Never mind, darling, it’s all right,” said Mr. 
Fairfield, soothingly, as he kissed the pale brow, 
and carried Patty up the steps and into the 
[ 277 ] 


Patty’s Motor Car 

house. He laid her on a couch, and, under 
Nan’s gentle ministrations, she soon revived. 

Meantime, Henry Hampton was telling the 
tale as he had understood it. 

“Mighty slick piece of work!” he said. 
“ Never saw anything like it in my life ! That 
young fellow ought to have medals pinned all 
over him.” 

“ There, there, Mr. Hampton, that’ll be about 
all,” said Philip, trying to shut off the tide of 
compliments from the stranger. 

“ No, ’taint about all! ” declared Mr. Hamp- 
ton, wagging his head, “ but I guess the little 
lady can tell you the story, once she feels like 
herself again. I must be gettin’ along now, 
but I just want to remark, edgewise, that I’ve 
seen lots of pluck and bravery in my day, but 
for hair-trigger intellect, coolheadedness, pluck, 
and plumb bravery, I never saw such an ex- 
hibition as this here chap put up to-day ! Good- 
afternoon, all;” and, with a wave of his hand, 
Mr. Hampton went away. 

Philip was the hero of the hour, but he would 
not admit that he had done anything praise- 
worthy or unusual. 

“There was only one thing to do,” he said; 
“ only one possible chance to take, and of course 
[278] 


A Narrow Escape 

I took it; and almost by a miracle it went 
through all right, and we smashed the car, but 
saved our lives.” 

“ Don’t you listen to him ! ” called out Patty. 
“ You people come in here, and I’ll tell you all 
about it! I was driving, and it was next to 
impossible for Philip to get hold of the bars, 
across me. But he did it! and he did it in time ! 
and he did it exactly right ! And I just sat there 
paralysed with fear, and unable to move. But 
I suppose you don’t expect a girl to be very 
brave, — and I sort of collapsed, I know. But 
Philip is a hero, and I want him appreciated 
as such.” 

“ He is, Patty dear,” said her father; “ and, 
though he’s awfully modest himself about his 
brave deed, he has the honour and respect and 
gratitude of all of us for his wonderful quick- 
ness of brain and hand that saved his own life, 
— and that of my little girl.” 

Mr. Fairfield’s voice broke as he folded Patty 
in his arms, and he kissed her with all of a fa- 
ther’s love for the treasure he had so nearly 
lost. 


[ 279 ] 



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